Karen Sampson Hudson's Book of Days

2011-12-07T23:04:00.001-08:00

"I am the light of this world", from Prairie Home Companion, December 2011

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A Brief, Wondrous Tour of Earth (From Outer Space) | Open Culture

2011-11-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

A Brief, Wondrous Tour of Earth (From Outer Space) | Open Culture:

'via Blog this'

Hilarious Cartoon, 1946

2011-10-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

One of summer's delights

2011-08-25T18:57:00.001-07:00

Tomato and Onion Tart: 2 large Vidalia onions, thinly sliced/ 2 T. olive oil/salt and pepper to taste/crust for 9" pie/8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese/1 lb. heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch wedges/1/4 C. pitted nicoise olives

Preheat oven to 375. Saute onions in olive oil, 20 mins or until soft. Spread onion mixture over pie crust and top with cheese. Arrange tomatoes and olives in concentric circles over cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 1 hour 15 mins. Cool and serve. Makes 6-8 servings or 12-16 appetizers.

Margaret Carol Reid, July 31, 2011

2011-08-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

See a memorial page here:

"There will pass with your great passing
Little of beauty not your own:
Only the light from common water,
Only the grace from simple stone."
-- Edna St. Vincent Millay

Margaret was gentle-natured and preferred a simple life, yet her many
accomplishments reflected a rich, multi-faceted inner life and a profound
understanding of complexity. She had a lifelong concern for matters of
social justice.
In addition to her love of writing and literature, Margaret also had a passion for sewing. Her love of sewing involved experimenting with different dyes, and making her own patterns using a wide variety of different materials, which resulted in elegant pieces of clothing. Celebrating the birth of each of her nieces and nephews she fashioned unique sewn gifts which became "instant" heirlooms. An avid movie goer, Margaret enjoyed the Toronto Film Festival in its entirety for years.
Her temperament was an extraordinary mixture of sweetness
and dignity. She freely gave to others her full attention, her shining
mental acuity, her listening ear and her understanding heart. Everyone who
knew her was splendidly enriched by her friendship, enlightened by her
nonjudgmental wisdom, and prompted to emulate her appreciation of the
wonders of both nature and culture. Her presence with us was an
inestimable gift.

"Thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings..." Shakespeare

2011-01-07T11:37:00.001-08:00

Lemon-pepper Turkey Tenderloin En Croute

2011-01-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

This is a quick and easy dish that I put together when turkey tenderloin went on sale after the holidays.
Prep time: 8-10 minutes Bake time: 50 minutes
1 1/2 pounds turkey tenderloin
1/4 C. lemon-pepper marinade
2 T. olive oil
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg
1 tsp. water

(1.Thaw the frozen puff pastry overnight in the fridge or for two hours on the counter. The dough must be soft enough to roll out easily.)
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
3. Lightly brown the tenderloin on all sides. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Preheat the oven to 350.
5.While the tenderloin cools, flour the counter surface and roll the puff pastry dough into a 12by6 inch rectangle.
6. Brush the pastry with 1/4 c. of the lemon-pepper marinade to within an inch of each edge.
7. Center the tenderloin on the pastry. Brush the tenderloin with the rest of the marinade.
8. Roll up pastry, tucking n the ends, to completely cover the tenderloin. Pinch seams and edges of dough to seal.
9. In small bowl, beat egg with 1 tsp. water. Brush it over the pastry.
9. Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil, place the pastry on it, and bake for 50 minutes.
Serves 5-6

From William Bradford's "Of Plimouth Plantation"

2010-11-24T17:24:00.001-08:00

And thus they found the Lord to be with them in all their ways, and to blesse their outgoings and incommings, for which let his holy name have the praise for ever, to all posteritie.161.
They begane now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fitte up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strenght, and had all things in good plenty; for as some were thus imployed in affairs abroad, others were excersised in fishing, aboute codd, and bass, and other fish, of which they tooke good store, of which every family had their portion. All the sommer ther was no wante. And now begane to come in store of foule, as winter aproached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they tooke many, besids venison, etc. Besids they had aboute a peck a meale a weeke to a person, or now since harvest, Indean coree tb that proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largly of their plenty hear to their freinds in England, which were not fained, but true reports.

AH, SWEET MYSTERY OF LIFE

2010-11-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

2010-07-14T11:47:00.001-07:00

Summer Rag by Rich Dworsky

Danish-American journalist and reformer, Jacob Riis

2010-02-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

The Double Trumpet

2010-01-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

http://www.punchcartoons.com/popup_image.php?pID=6444&image=0

Cartoon from Punch

2009-12-31T09:56:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I found under the tree for me a book of cartoons from Punch, the British humor magazine. Here's one of my favorites:

Hygge

2009-12-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

I'm making aebleskiver today and thinking about the "hygge" of my mother's Danish family, that nourished us as children:

"Hygge is distinctively Danish and difficult to translate into English because there is no equivalent word in the English vocabulary. The closest English word that can describe Hygge is the word 'cozy.' Hygge can be defined as
'“a feeling or mood that comes from taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary everyday things simply extraordinary' (Beauchamp). An example of Hygge would be a long dinner with close friends or family in a warm, candle-lit setting. The Danes use this word to describe how they feel when they are most comfortable; it expresses in one word their philosophy of living."
from "Danish Paper" by Judith Campbell, Clemson University

Click here for further thoughts on hygge

The Flatiron Building in the fog, about 1920, NYC, by Jessie Tarbox Beals

2009-12-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

From the new book "New York 400", edited by John Thorn

"Julia's Kitchen Wisdom"

2009-12-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

For all the cooks on your list--Julia Child's "Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking." I plan to make every recipe in this 134 page book, in which Julia condenses and refines what she learned through her long career. Unlike "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," there are no recipes for calves' brains in aspic, snails, eels, or anything else that's a bit of a stretch for American tastes. :-))

Orange Fennel Salad

2009-12-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

I'm taking this to a gathering of about 150 ladies who bring their "specialities"--salads, desserts, soups, and breads to a festive party that kicks off the holiday season and is a fund raiser for the needy. It's our annual gourmet feast. No one diets tonight!

Orange Fennel Salad

6 oranges, peeled and sliced in 1/4 inch slices
1/4 of a fennel bulb (available in produce sections, tastes like anise/licorice)
2 T. olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Stripped fresh basil

Arrange orange slices on platter.
With a veggie peeler, shave fennel into thin small strips and sprinkle over oranges.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper and basil.

Serves 8, tastes great, and couldn't be simpler!

Pumpkin sage pancakes

2009-11-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

From
http://dessertsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/

Pumpkin sage pancakes with blackberry sauce
makes about 18-20 silver dollar pancakes

for blackberry sauce:
Please note that the amounts in this recipe are approximate.

2-3 baskets blackberries
1/2 cup water, approx
1/3 cup white wine
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup sugar, approx
pinch of salt
1 tspn cornstarch

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the blackberries until they begin to release their juices.
2. Add in water and white wine--just enough so that all of the berries are in liquid but are not covered by liquid.
3. Add in lemon zest, juice, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
4. When the liquid begins to simmer, spoon about 1/3 cup into a small bowl. Add tspn to the liquid in the bowl and whisk thoroughly until the cornstarch is dissolved. Return the cornstarch mixture to the berries cooking in the saucepan.
5. Continue to simmer the berries until liquid is reduced by about a half and is syrupy.

for pumpkin-sage pancakes:

8 oz. milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned (but make sure it's drained!)
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
8 oz. flour
2 Tbspn sugar
2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn salt
2 heaping Tbspn finely chopped fresh sage (the fresh sage is key here!)

1. Combine milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, and melted butter in a bowl and whisk thoroughly.
2. Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
3. Butter lightly a medium hot skillet and cook the pancakes.
4. Top pancakes with blackberry sauce.

Enjoy!

From "The Book of Common Prayer"

2009-11-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

A General Thanksgiving.

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may he unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

"The House" by Richard Wilbur

2009-11-01T00:42:00.000-07:00

The House
by Richard Wilbur August 31, 2009

Published in the New Yorker, 8/31/09

Sometimes, on waking, she would close her eyes

For a last look at that white house she knew

In sleep alone, and held no title to,

And had not entered yet, for all her sighs.

What did she tell me of that house of hers?

White gatepost; terrace; fanlight of the door;

A widow’s walk above the bouldered shore;

Salt winds that ruffle the surrounding firs.

Is she now there, wherever there may be?

Only a foolish man would hope to find

That haven fashioned by her dreaming mind.

Night after night, my love, I put to sea.

Imagine if twitter had been around hundreds of years ago..:-)

2009-10-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Click on image to enlarge:

Best-ever Carrot Cake

2009-10-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

Best-ever Carrot Cake---delicious and easy to make. Recipe is from "The Bountiful Arbor," cookbook of the Jr. League of Ann Arbor:
Serves 12.

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
2 C. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. baking soda
1 7 ou. can crushed, pineapple, with juice
1 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 7 ou. package shredded coconut
2 C. grated carrots
1 C. chopped walnuts

Frosting:
8 ou. cream cheese, softened
½ c. butter, softened
Pinch salt
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice or orange juice
½ tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350; grease a 9 by 13 inch pan. Mix sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oil together. Add pineapple, oil, salt and eggs; mix well. Fold in coconut, carrots, and walnuts. Pour into prepared pan; bake for 35-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cook cake before frosting.

Beat together cream cheese, butter, and salt. Beat in sugar, a little at a time. Add juice and vanilla to moisten. Frost cake.

New Fave: Quick fry-up for breakfast, brunch, or supper

2009-09-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

(Serves two)
In microwave, bake 3 medium red potatoes. (Prick each potato before baking.)
Heat 1 T. olive oil in medium fry pan.
Chop up potatoes. Add to pan. As they brown, chop up 4 T. onion. Add to pan. Break 3 eggs into pan and scramble, mixing well.
Serve with wasabi drizzling sauce. (I use Trader Joe's wasabi sesame sauce. You can also add Asian spices to regular sesame oil)

Obsidian with hydrangea

2009-09-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

Meryl Streep's many voices

2009-09-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Alex's Fall

2009-09-14T00:09:00.001-07:00

California wildfires above Rose Bowl, 8-29

2009-08-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

The House: newyorker.com

2009-08-28T17:43:00.001-07:00

Richard Wilbur's new poem

The House: newyorker.com

Shared via AddThis

Great song by Eliza Gilkyson

2009-08-21T11:29:00.001-07:00

My editing is rough but I wanted to post this song....

Nellie McKay---a song some might think "retro" but it's not really!

2009-08-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

We early baby boomers can identify.

July political cartoons

2009-07-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

From DavidLebovitz.com, a marvelous foodie site

2009-06-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

Dulce de Leche Brownies
12 brownies

8 tablespoons (115g) salted or unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (140g) flour
optional: 1 cup (100 g) toasted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup Dulce de Leche (or Cajeta)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C).

Line a 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with a long sheet of aluminum foil that covers the bottom and reaches up the sides. If it doesn't reach all the way up and over all four sides, cross another sheet of foil over it, making a large cross with edges that overhang the sides. Grease the bottom and sides of the foil with a bit of butter or non-stick spray.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly over very low heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sugar, vanilla, then the flour. Mix in the nuts, if using.

Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan. Here comes the fun part.
Drop one-third of the dulce de leche, evenly spaced, over the brownie batter, then drag a knife through to swirl it slightly. Spread the remaining brownie batter over, then drop spoonfuls of the remaining dulce de leche in dollops over the top of the brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl the dulce de leche slightly.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The brownies are done when the center feels just-slightly firm. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Storage:These brownies actually become better the second day, and will keep well for up to 3 days.

Brioche with brie and amaretto-soaked apricots

2009-05-12T17:07:00.001-07:00

This recipe is from "Cookwise," by chemist and "culinary food sleuth," Shirley Corriher. It makes a big brioche with an extremely generous (TWO pounds of brie!) filling, enough for 18 people. Considering the cost per serving, I think I'll use this recipe only on special occasions! :-)), although I do highly recommend Corriher's book.

On PrairieHome.org, Mrs. Sundberg's marvelous blog

2009-05-08T21:52:00.000-07:00

....Midwestern life at its warm and friendly best. Check out the recipe for Antipasto Bread at the end of this posting! I've made this bread many times, and she's right, people are crazy for it and everyone wants the recipe.

Best Salmon Picatta and Polenta

2009-04-28T23:06:00.000-07:00

(Click to enlarge)
This recipe, recently published in the Gazette-Journal, is from our "neighbor boy" (now all grown up) Christian Christensen and his wife, Casey, who opened "Sup" (Danish word, with two dots over the U) a downtown restaurant, in the fall of 2007. Everything on the menu is scrumptious, and we find this to be, by far, the best salmon recipe we have ever tasted. We loved Christian as he was growing up with our kids, and we are thrilled at the tremendous success of Sup.

Forte!

2009-04-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

Spring!

2009-04-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

It's not quite May, but spring has come to the High Sierra

2009-04-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

To This May

by W. S. Merwin

They know so much more now about
the heart we are told but the world
still seems to come one at a time
one day one year one season and here
it is spring once more with its birds
nesting in the holes in the walls
its morning finding the first time
its light pretending not to move
always beginning as it goes

"To This May" by W.S. Merwin, from Present Company. © Copper Canyon Press, 2007.

Ah, yes, "beginning as it goes", ever in the present, in the "now" where saints live...

Coconut Avocado Ice Cream---from Sunset magazine

2009-04-16T10:28:00.001-07:00

Time: 40 minutes, plus 2 hours to freeze. Silky smooth, luscious, and surprisingly good with chocolate sauce.
Yield

Makes 1 qt.
Ingredients

* 2 ripe medium avocados (about 1 lb. total), chilled
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
* 1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk*, chilled

****Note, I use 2% evap milk with 2/3 c. splenda and a dash of vanilla extract, and Trader Joe's low-fat coconut milk to reduce the fat and the calories by about 45%.

Preparation

1. Pit avocados. Scoop flesh into a food processor, add sugar and lemon juice, and whirl until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk and whirl to blend.

2. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze a metal bowl.

3. Scrape ice cream into cold bowl. Cover and freeze until firm enough to scoop, about 2 hours.

*For a delicate flavor, buy real coconut milk. For a bigger coconut hit, buy a product made with coconut extract.

Make ahead: Freeze airtight up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Coconut Tres-Leche

2009-04-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Coconut Tres-Leche
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 oz. coffee (hot)
4 oz. milk
1 bottle (2 cups) Coco Reál Cream of Coconut
1 egg
1/8 oz. vanilla extract
8 oz. container
of Cool Whip
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325°.
2. Blend flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and sugar together with a
mixer on low speed.
3. Add oil, coffee, milk and 1 cup of Coco Reál. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds.
4. Add egg and vanilla. Mix for another 30 seconds. Batter will be thin.
5. Pour into greased 9 inch cake pan.
6. Bake for 45-60 minutes. To test if fully baked, insert toothpick and remove. If toothpick comes out clean,
then baking is complete. Cool for 20-25 minutes.
7. Turn onto a cake board or plate. Using either a straw or skewer, poke holes into the cake
starting in the center and working out. Space holes about 1/4 - 1/2 inch apart. Pour remainder of Coco Real over the cake and let soak.
8. When cake is completely cooled spread cool whip over the top.
When serving, the Coco Reál will run out the bottom.

Chocolate Lumpy-Bumpy Cake

2009-04-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

Sanders' CHOCOLATE LUMPY-BUMPY CAKE

This is a very sweet rich and decadent dessert. It looks very fancy when done but is pretty easy for a novice cook to put together.

1 hour 20 minutes (20 min prep, 1 hr cooking)
24 servings or 1 9x13 inch cake

Update to: 9x13 inch cake US Metric

For Cake:
1/2 cup hot black coffee or water
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour

For BUTTERCREAM ICING:
2 cups butter
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

For POUR-ABLE FUDGE FROSTING:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup cocoa
1 dash salt
1/2 lb butter, divided
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Cake: In large bowl, combine coffee and cocoa; beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add oil; beat for 30 seconds; add buttermilk; beat for 30 seconds; add baking soda; beat for 30 seconds; add salt; beat for 30 seconds; add vanilla; beat for 30 seconds; add eggs; beat for 30 seconds; add sugar; beat for 30 seconds. Add flour; beat for 5 minutes. Batter will be very bubbly. Pour batter into greased (9x13 inch) pan and bake at 375ºF for 35-40 minutes.

For SANDERS' BUTTERCREAM ICING: Place butter in mixing bowl, add 2 cups powdered sugar; mix at low speed to obtain smooth paste. Whip at medium speed, adding milk slowly and gradually, until light and fluffy. Using a very clean bowl and beater, whip egg whites until stiff while adding the 1/2 cup powdered sugar slowly. Mix this meringue slowly into the above mixture. Add vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar. This last amount of sugar can be doubled if stiffer icing is desired.

For POURABLE FUDGE FROSTING: Over medium-high heat, combine buttermilk, sugar, corn syrup, salt and half the butter. Bring mixture to a boil. When mixture reaches the soft-ball stage, remove from heat. Add remaining butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. This will have a"pouring consistency".

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE: prepare cake as directed.

When cake is cooled, place cake in freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare buttercream icing, then shape into (1 inch) rolls, placing on frozen cake, 1 inch apart across the top of the cake.

Return to the freezer for at least an additional 15 minutes.

Apply cooled fudge frosting to top of cake, covering buttercream rolls completely.

Return to freezer for several minutes or more to set frosting.

"Chocolate Lumpy Bumpy Cake"

There are a couple of ways it could be made:

Chocolate sponge cake or chocolate brownie layer then; chocolate mousse then; white chocolate mousse or cream or cheese cake then; chocolate sauce or chocolate ganache then; sprinkled with nuts.

More variations on a staple at our house---delish! Click here.

2009-04-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

Banana Walnut Layer Cake

2009-03-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Click on title for recipe.

I woke up in limerick mode today....

2009-03-22T15:10:00.001-07:00

Blue's Got the Blues

When Rodriguez came a dark era commenced.
The Michigan fan base is upset and incensed.
He's not suited to us;
No more to discuss
Except maybe how well he's recompensed.

Limerick #2
Last season was long and deeply lamented.
Fans weren't consulted, and never consented
To hire a characterless coach
For a program once beyond reproach.
Prez Coleman and Bill Martin must be DEMENTED!

My letter to the Reno Gazette-Journal, 3-18

2009-03-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

Herbed Beer Bread---a staple treat at our house

2009-03-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

From an old "Junior League Midwestern Cookbook", 1978, (an entry from"Discover Dayton"), this recipe is easy to make and always a hit with family and friends. Serve with olive oil, or garlic-and-herb cheese spread, or other spreads, or sliced cheese, or meat, or anything else you like.

3 C. self-rising flour (I use Trader Joe's multi-grain baking mix)\
3 T. sugar
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
12 ounces beer

In large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add beer and stir only until mixed. The beer will foam while stirring.
Spoon onto a greased 9x5x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 30-40 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool before serving.

Delish chicken recipe from Sunset mag

2009-03-15T18:41:00.000-07:00

(Click on recipe to enlarge). To make recipe even faster, you can use rotisserie chicken from the deli.

Richard Wilbur, "Anterooms"

2009-03-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

This poem appeared in a recent "New Yorker." CLICK ON POEM TO ENLARGE.

Hulu

2009-03-12T12:59:00.001-07:00

Have you tried hulu yet? (Click title to go to website.) Video on demand, lots to choose from, some good movies included.

"Querying the hive mind"--MetaFilter

2009-03-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

This is my new favorite site, a "Yahoo Answers" for thinking people---such fun! There's a $5 fee to join, and it's worth it.

2009-02-06T09:53:00.001-08:00

Of The Terrible Doubt Of Appearances
by Walt Whitman

Of the terrible doubt of appearances,
Of the uncertainty after all, that we may be deluded,
That may-be reliance and hope are but speculations after all,
That may-be identity beyond the grave is a beautiful fable
only,
May-be the things I perceive, the animals, plants, men, hills,
shining and flowing waters,
The skies of day and night, colors, densities, forms, may-be
these are (as doubtless they are) only apparitions, and
the real something has yet to be known,
(How often they dart out of themselves as if to confound me
and mock me!
How often I think neither I know, nor any man knows,
aught of them,)
May-be seeming to me what they are (as doubtless they
indeed but seem) as from my present point of view, and
might prove (as of course they would) nought of what
they appear, or nought anyhow, from entirely changed
points of view;
To me these and the like of these are curiously answer'd by
my lovers, my dear friends,
When he whom I love travels with me or sits a long while
holding me by the hand,
When the subtle air, the impalpable, the sense that words and
reason hold not, surround us and pervade us,
Then I am charged with untold and untellable wisdom, I am
silent, I require nothing further,
I cannot answer the question of appearances or that of
identity beyond the grave,
But I walk or sit indifferent, I am satisfied,
He ahold of my hand has completely satisfied me.

Root Beer Rag

2009-02-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

Billy Joel--Fabulous!

Newspapers around the world feature Obama's inauguration

2009-01-22T22:27:00.000-08:00

Click on headline to view.

Top 500 websites in the world, by ranking

2009-01-22T22:09:00.000-08:00

(Click on title to go to link.) Fascinating.

Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

2009-01-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

Click on title to go to recipe page.
Although not a classic cassoulet---no goose or duck in this one!---this recipe is quick to prepare and unusually delicious.

Decadent 12-layer Choco-Cherry Tart

2009-01-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Mrs. Sundberg, Prairiehome.org

Party dessert---serves 12-15

1 Swiss chocolate cake mix (Note: I made a cocoa choc cake from scratch)
1 can cherry pie filling
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tsp lemon juice
1 can vanilla frosting
Prepare cake mix as directed; bake in 8" greased and floured rounds.
Cool. Slice each layer into two thin layers.

Make frosting by beating cream cheese and lemon until smooth. Fold in
vanilla frosting. Spread frosting toward outside of first cake layer,
overlapping with a layer of cherry filling more toward the inside.
Place a cake layer on top of the first layer, and repeat with frosting
and cherries until you've reached the top. It's normal for frosting to
be dripping down the sides and cherries to be sliding off the top.
Refrigerate.
OR (this is what I made)
Blend 1 softened stick smart balance margarine, 8 ounces cream cheese, and 1 bag of
powdered sugar together for homemade cream cheese frosting.
Enjoy!

the story of temple drake

2009-01-10T12:23:00.001-08:00

forbidden hollywood

Serious Limerick

2009-01-07T21:00:00.000-08:00

Blessed Lord, what it is to be young --
To be of, to be for, be among;
Be enchanted, enthralled,
Be the caller, the called:
The singer, the song, and the sung.
--David McCord

National Listening Day--Storycorps.net

2009-01-02T15:53:00.000-08:00

See the interview with Margaret Mikelait Hudson, listed in the sidebars.

January 1954--one of my favorite New Yorker covers

2008-12-31T20:50:00.000-08:00

I'm familiar with this scene---but we have no maid. I'm the maid:-))

Fabulous Fudge Recipe

2008-12-08T09:56:00.001-08:00

Classic, Soft-Ball Chocolate Fudge
Made in the Microwave ----easy and quickly!

Makes about one pound.

2 C. sugar/
5 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa
powder/
1/4 tsp.salt/
1 C. evap milk /
1 1/2 TBs. light corn syrup /
4 Tbs. butter or margarine/
1 tsp. vanilla/
1/2 c. chopped nuts

1. Combine sugar, cocoa and salt in 3 to 31/2 qt. casserole. Add milk and corn syrup; mix well. Cut butter into 3 pieces and add to casserole.

2. Microwave, covered (wax paper is good), at high power 5 minutes. tir to mix well. Microwave uncovered at high power until mixture reaches soft ball stage ( about 8 1/2 minutes depending on the power of your microwave.) Test by spooning a small amount of mixture into ice water; it should from a soft ball.

3. Cool mixture, without stirring, to lukewarm. (After 10 minutes, dish may be placed in shallow bowl of cool water to hasten cooling, if desired.)

4. Spread 1 TBs. butter on bottom and sides of 9 by 12 pan.

5. Stir vanilla and nuts into cooled mixture; beat until fudge becomes thick and begins to lose its gloss and hold its shape. Quickly transfer the fudge to pan; spread evenly. Cut into squares when firm.

The Faber Book of Useful Verse

2008-12-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

Edited by Simon Brett, this is a compilation of all kinds of rhyming advice. The book is laugh-out-loud funny yet it IS useful too!
Here's one of my favorite quotes:

A Caution for Poets

What poets feel not, when they make,
A pleasure in creating,
The world in its turn, will not take
Pleasure in contemplating.
---Matthew Arnold (1822-88)

Sauerkraut Casserole

2008-12-01T19:02:00.001-08:00

Surprisingly good, filling main dish in 25 minutes.

1 lb. Hillshire Farms(or other brand you like) turkey sausage
(or cubed ham)
14 oz. sauerkraut, drained
3/4 c. shredded cheese
2 tsp. dry mustard
4-5 C. mashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 1 and 1/2 qt. casserole dish. Slice sausage into 1 inch pieces. Put ingredients into casserole dish in order given and mix well. Bake for 20-23 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Anytime Black Bean Omelet

2008-12-01T11:27:00.000-08:00

Here's another family recipe we all like:

1 and 1/2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 can black beans
8 eggs
1 C. shredded cheese of your choice---we like Monterey Jack
a few sprigs of fresh cilantro, or about 2 T. dry cilantro is fine also
salt to taste
Salsa Verde to top---we like Trader Joe's

In large frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add chopped onion and fry till browned. Drain liquid from bean can and add beans to heat. In the meantime, whisk eggs briskly, add cheese. cilantro, and salt, and add egg mixture to pan, spreading evenly. Reduce heat to medium. Cover. Cook 3 minutes or until mixture shrinks away a little from pan sides. Remove from heat and gently flip half of omelet onto top of other half. Cover and let set from 2 minutes. Cut into four pieces and gently remove from pan. Add salsa topping to taste. Serves four.

Our Family Turkey Roulade--serves 16

2008-11-28T13:49:00.000-08:00

Here's our original recipe---an instant family classic. Sorry, I didn't take pictures. It was eaten up too quickly!

6 C. shredded cheese, your choice--I used Monterey Jack
6 T. ginger paste
6 T. garlic paste
3/4 C.olive oil
4 C. chopped broccoli or other green vegetable
4 C. sliced red peppers

32 turkey cutlets (allowing 2 per person)
2 lb. cooked bacon

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first five ingredients in large bowl.

Cut 32 lengths of string, about 8 inches each---
or: use several dozen toothpicks

Place cutlet over string, place stuffing from bowl in middle of cutlet, roll or fold, wrap with bacon, tie with string or secure with toothpicks.

Cover with foil, cook at 350 for about 40-50 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

From William Bradford's journal, "Of Plimouth Plantation":

"Being thus arived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees & blessed ye God of heaven, who had brought them over ye vast & furious ocean, and delivered them from all ye periles & miseries therof, againe to set their feete on ye firme and stable earth, their proper elemente. And no marvell if they were thus joyefull, seeing wise Seneca was so affected with sailing a few miles on ye coast of his owne Italy; as he affirmed, that he had rather remaine twentie years on his way by land, then pass by sea to any place in a short time; so tedious & dreadfull was ye same unto him.
But hear I cannot but stay and make a pause, and stand half amased at this poore peoples presente condition; and so I thinke will the reader too, when he well considers ye same. Being thus passed ye vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before in their preparation (as may be remembred by yt which wente before), they had now no freinds to wellcome them, nor inns to entertaine or refresh their weatherbeaten bodys, no houses or much less townes to repaire too, to seeke for succoure…
Let it also be considred what weake hopes of supply & succoure they left behinde them, yt might bear up their minds in this sade condition and trialls they were under; and they could not but be very smale. It is true, indeed, ye affections & love of their brethren at Leyden was cordiall & entire towards them, but they had little power to help them, or them selves; and how ye case stode betweene them & ye marchants at their coming away, hath already been declared. What could not sustaine them but ye spirite of God & his grace? May not & ought not the children of these fathers rightly say : Our faithers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this willdernes; but they cried unto ye Lord, and he heard their voyce, and looked on their adversitie, &c. Let them therfore praise ye Lord, because he is good, & his mercies endure for ever."

Pumpkin Pudding for Thanksgiving---Christmas, too

2008-11-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

I used a pressure cooker shortcut. Make pudding as directed; cover with waxed paper. Tie tightly with string. Place in pressure cooker (on the little rack that comes with it). Add water to about halfway up the pudding bowl. Allow steam to flow from vent pipe for 5 minutes, then place pressure regulator onto vent pipe and cook for 15 minutes with pressure regulator rocking slowly ( med-med high burner setting). Then let pressure drop of its own accord. Remove cover and there's your steamed pumpkin pudding!

ONCE-A-YEAR CAKE

2008-11-18T17:55:00.000-08:00

sweeter than sweet, and not excessively healthy!

Prep time: 30 min Bake time: 40 min

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 9"
round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, overlapping edges a bit.

1 C. margarine
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1 lb. graham cracker crumbs
1 C. coconut
1 C. nuts
1 Tb. baking powder
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Cream margarine and sugar, add eggs and beat. Add cracker crumbs. dd baking powder and milk. Pour into three cake pans and bake for 40 minutes. Cool ten minutes, then carefully remove from parchment paper.

ICING
1/2 C. margarine
1 box ( 1 lb.) confectioner's sugar
1 plg. 8oz. cream cheese
1 Tb. pineapple juice
1 8 oz. can pineapple, drained

Cream margarine and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and juice. Beat until creamy. Top each of the three layers with frosting and pineapple. Frost sides.

"Mad Men" --Excellent Directing, Flawed Writing and Casting

2008-11-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

MAD MEN----amazon review (Click post title to link to amazon page.)

3.0 out of 5 stars
Well directed sleeper hit has signficant flaws, November 17, 2008

AMC's sleeper hit, "Mad Men", is garnering rave reviews. Although the directing is masterful, especially the cuts, and the mood lighting is excellent, both the pseudo-sophisticated writing and the casting are naive and uninformed. The cynical show suffers from the lack of even one major character who could be viewed as a person of integrity. Maybe the author intends to indict the advertising profession? Maybe he intends to present a vacuous domestic life of the 50s and early 60s? Whatever his motives, an emphasis on pathological selfishness weighs down this dark show and leaves the viewer with a bitter taste. An unwholesome bleakness permeates; the scripts lack the occasional light moments of boilerplate soap opera.

There are major anachronisms in the set design and props, such as the electric typewriters, which were not in offices yet in March of 1960 when the show opens. The language also is not period authentic: "Pretty much", a ubiquitous expression today, was rarely employed in 1960.

The meetings with clients often turn confrontational; if advertising folks conducted themselves in this fashion, then and now, their firm would not remain long afloat.

Considering the major failings of "Mad Men," it is the directing alone that qualifies it for hit status.

from52to48withlove :: zefrank.com

2008-11-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

from52to48withlove :: zefrank.com

Obama Grabs Headlines

2008-11-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

Obama Grabs Headlines

A fantastic page----a gathering of newspaper headlines with stories on 11-05-08, US and worldwide.

YES, WE DID!

2008-11-05T15:47:00.000-08:00

Signs of Hope and Change

2008-11-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

Cheer up, Republicans. Obama's not the ogre you think he is. You may be surprised at how your lives will improve and how you will benefit from his leadership.

Although I certainly understand how Barack inspired and thrilled a "Rainbow Coalition" with this victory, I didn't even notice Barack's color when I signed on with the campaign many months ago. I saw a person of unusual gifts who was superbly qualified for the highest office our democracy offers. It is the dream of many of us that someday, as MLK said a generation ago, we'll have a society that "judges people on content of character rather than color of skin." This victory is an affirmation that we are building that society. The whole world is watching and applauding as we do.

Amazing Moment

2008-11-04T21:06:00.001-08:00

Nevada Election Results

2008-11-04T10:52:00.001-08:00

Election Results--Nation

2008-11-04T10:49:00.001-08:00

Rodriguez's record the worst for Michigan in over four decades

2008-11-01T15:12:00.001-07:00

Rodriguez continues to demonstrate that he's not the coach for us.

Limerick 14

2008-10-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

As Republicans find their own ticket abhorrent,
They're defecting in a thundering torrent;
With grandiose self-esteem
Sarah continues to scheme,
Assessing her skills higher than conditions warrant.

Haunted House on a Cliff

2008-10-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

2008-10-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a sample recipe from Ann K. Corum

2008-10-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

You can use a rotisserie chicken from the market, and freeze the leftovers for later.

Back in 2000

2008-10-17T23:19:00.000-07:00

No Runs, No Hits, No Ayers

2008-10-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

Campaign Contributions

2008-10-16T10:44:00.001-07:00

Bailing out Wall Street

2008-10-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

Republican reject their own party

2008-10-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

Rovian tactics

2008-10-14T14:13:00.001-07:00

Desperate Distractions

2008-10-13T10:10:00.001-07:00

"That One"

2008-10-13T10:06:00.001-07:00

Polls swing dramatically upward for Obama in Ohio

2008-10-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Fun With Limericks Campaign 2008

2008-10-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

McCain and Palen use low, smarmy smears,
Trying and failin' to rally through fears,
As Dem poll numbers soar
Each day, more and more
For Obama and a transforming four years!

Prepped so full of facts we thought she might burst,
Corrected, prompted, and fully rehearsed,
Sarah strode upon the stage
To face Joe Biden, Senate sage.
Verdict? Palin recited while Joe conversed.

Market vagaries threw stocks askew,
Brokers and candidates searched for a clue.
Some people sighed, some cried,
Others lied and some denied,
But no one could determine what to do.

McCain paused his campaign, said the mess on Wall Street
Needs immediate action both wise and discreet.
For him it's convenient,
If voters are lenient,
Not calling him to account for the balance sheet.

At bailouts and buyouts and federal power,
Some financiers smile yet others glower;
The dubious idea of laissez-faire
Is daily besieged as buyers beware,
While Wall Street improvises from hour to hour.

Through bright days and dark days we soldier along,
Many millions of us making our movement strong,
While Palin is flailin'
And McCain is failin'
We anticipate our election day victory song.

In his debut interview Todd, Alaskan "first dude,"
Used subject and verb choices that some might call crude:
"Me and him had went," he said,
Reverting to vernacular instead
Of winning English teachers' votes, we conclude.

The Republican poster girl who came to our state
Assured a warm welcome, did not hesitate
Her piece to speak
While looking chic,
Seizing her chance to pontificate.

About Sarah Palin we'd like to learn more,
An Alaskan pol few had heard of before,
But her speeches are scripted,
Muzzled and restricted,
No chance that she'll speak extempore.

If each voter throughout our fair land
Would closely examine where candidates stand,
Would cease to think foggily,
And reject demagoguery,
We'd then have the nation our founders planned!

She smiled and waved at her home state crowd.
Her voice while reading was firm and loud.
Nothing impromptu
For Sarah will do,
But teleprompter parroting is allowed.

Hockey mom Sarah's praises they sing
As she leads them backward, the zealous right-wing.
Since her programs are lacking
We'll send her packing
Home to the frontier Arctic ring.

"A pit bull with lipstick," she proudly said,
And with a toss of her high-maintenance head,
Began a tour of city and state,
To sell herself as a "hot" running mate,
Although lacking in meaningful cred.

Is Sarah so rarer than the girl next door?
Have standards ever sunk this low before,
With silly hype and media buzz
For “Miss Alaska” who never was,
A paean to Palin we prefer to ignore.

Post Turtle

2008-10-12T21:27:00.001-07:00

POST TURTLE

From my cousin, true crime writer Ann Rule:
http://www.annrules.com/

POST TURTLE
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being President.

The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Palin is a post turtle."

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle was.

The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle."

The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. "You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her up there to begin with."