Aloha Friday # 93

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

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Thank you to Kailani for sponsoring this please visit http://islandlife808.com/ to join in the fun.

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Here is my question: What is one food that you can't stop eating? I mean not matter what, you lose control when you get a hold of it.

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For me it is potato chips, I don't even buy them, because once I open the bag, it is all over. What about you?

WoRdLeSs WeDnEsDaY

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

Household Hints

I have been going through some church cookbooks again. These cookbooks are treasures, full of not only great recipes, but useful information. I thought I would pass a few onto you. I hope you like them and find them helpful.

1. Use styrofoam egg cartons as trays, when you need extra ice for parties.
2. Store a carton of cottage cheese upside down, it will keep twice as long.
3. Place bay leaves in a tea ball, to add to soups or stews, you don't have to worry about finding it to remove later on.
4. For an instant white sauce:blend together 1 cup butter and 1 cup flour. Spread into an ice cube tray and chill it well. Pop them out and store in a zip lock bag in the refrig or freezer. For medium thick sauce, drop 1 cube into 1 cup milk and heat slowly, stir as it thickens.
5. Out of ginger ale? Mix equal parts of Coke and 7-up.
6. For fluffier omelets, add a pinch of cornstarch before beating.
7.Popcorn should always be stored in the freezer. It will stay fresh and freezing eliminates "old maids".
8. When a drain is clogged with grease, pour a cup of salt and a cup of baking soda into the drain followed by a kettle of boiling water. The grease should dissolve and open the drain.
9. Shaving cream is a useful upholstery cleaner.
10. Club soda cleans and polishes kitchen appliances.

These are my favorites for today. I have tried most, but #2, I just found that one amusing, I have no idea why that would be. I have not tried #9 but #10 does surprisingly work
I do use #4 the white sauce trick, it really does work.

Enjoy your week.

There aren't enough days in the weekend.~Rod Schmidt

Spiritual Sundays

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, " I used everything you gave me."~Erma Bombeck

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Remember if your headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns.~Allison Gappa Bottke
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Look at everything as if you were seeing it for the first or last time.~Betty Smith

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Please visit Spiritual Sundays and have a beautiful day. Anne

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Please visit this blog and pray for Joshua

Recipes for Salad Dressing and Some Awards!!

I love salad and especially this time of year with the fresh tomatoes and fresh vegetables in general. I am very picky about dressing, so I make my own. These recipes are not light or diet. I tend to be very light on how much I put on. My husband and daughter use the dip the fork in the dressing method and then take some salad and eat. For this reason I do not worry too much about the calories, because this one area where we don't overdue it. I hope you enjoy these, they are my favorites.

Creamy French Dressing

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. kosher or any coarse salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. paprika
1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup tomato ketchup

Mix all ingredients in a blender for a minute or so. Store in another container in refrigerator. I always put a date on it so I don't forget how long ago I made it. It makes about 2-3 cups. I have stored it for a few months with no problem.


Apple Vinaigrette

1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Mix all ingredients in a blender for a minute or so. Store in another container in the refrigerator. Of course you will have to give it a good shake before you use it. I like this as an alternative to a raspberry vinaigrette. I make a salad with greens, fresh tomatoes, chopped fresh apples and walnuts. We like it, I hope you do also.

This is my layered taco salad, but I do use the French dressing on this mixed with some salsa, it works very well.

Have a great weekend

Anne

Thank you to Tina at It May Be A Crazy Life, But It Is OUR Life for passing on these beautiful awards to me! Please go and visit her wonderful blog full of family life, beautiful photos and life. Thank you for passing the love to me.

Aloha Friday # 92

http://islandlife808.com/ Please go and visit Kailani and join in the fun.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

Here is my question:

Do you have a fear of going to the Dentist??

For me it is a big YES! Even though Mr. Happy Tooth says" don't be afraid".

True Colours Thursday Emerald

http://poopsiestruecolours.blogspot.com/ I don't own any emeralds sadly. I am going to let nature be my emerald for this week. There are many shades of green, I hope you can use your imagination to find the emerald.

Why do two colors put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No.~Pablo Picasso

My skin is a sort of brownish, pinkish, yellow white. My eyes are greyish, blueish green, but I'm told they look orange in the night. My hair is reddish, blondish, brown, but its silver when its wet, and all the colors that I am inside have not been invented yet. ~Shel Silverstein

WoRdLeSs WeDnEsDaY

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

RECIPE SWAP MONDAY

http://learningtogetherhandinhand.blogspot.com/

Sunburst Stir -Fry

1 20 oz. can chunk pineapple, drained(save the juice)

4 small boneless chicken breast, sliced into thin strips

3 carrots sliced

1 green pepper sliced

3 green onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground ginger

3 TBSP oil(divided)

4 oz thin spaghetti, cooked

1 TBSP corn starch

Sauce:

Mix together pineapple juice, 1 TBSP oil, 1 TBSP corn starch and set aside

Stir fry the chicken in 2 TBSP hot oil, ginger and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add pineapple, carrots, green pepper and onions. Cover and steam for 3 minutes. Stir in spaghetti and sauce, turn up to high and stir constantly until the sauce thickens. Serve hot and enjoy.

Quick and yummy. I like to prepare the meat and vegetable the night before and then it is so simple to just throw it all together.

Spiritual Sundays

http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/

Come unto me, ye who are worried and overburdened, and I will give you rest.~Matthew 11:28

God bless you all, have a wonderful day. Anne

Small Talk Six 7/18/2009

http://www.momdot.com/blog/small-talk-six-i-scream-for-ice-cream/

I SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today’s topic is “6 flavors or types of ice cream that you love or hate” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

I will do 6 that I love, there aren't many that I don't

1. Rum Raisin (Haagan Dazs)

2. Butter Pecan( Edys Grand Light)

3. Red Raspberry ( Culvers Custard)

4. French Silk(Edys Grand Light)

5. Dulce La Leche( Edys Grand Light)

6. Cherry Garcia(Ben and Jerrys)

Aloha Friday # 91

http://islandlife808.com/


Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

Here is my question:

What is your favorite summer fruit??

For me there is nothing like watermelon, we get them whole and it doesn't take long for us to finish it. Well the seedless kind, the smaller ones. Sweet, delicious, juice running down your arm. That's all I need.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Anne

True Colours Thursday 7/16/2009 Peach

http://poopsiestruecolours.blogspot.com/
Peach Blossoms by Carl Sandburg

WHAT cry of peach blossoms let loose on the air today
I heard with my face thrown in the pink, white of it all?
In the red whisper of it all?

What man I heard saying: Christ these are beautiful!

And Christ and Christ was in his mouth, over these peach blossoms?



James Whitcomb Riley - The Ripest Peach

The ripest peach is highest on the tree --
And so her love, beyond the reach of me,
Is dearest in my sight. Sweet breezes, bow
Her heart down to me where I worship now!
She looms aloft where every eye may see
The ripest peach is highest on the tree.
Such fruitage as her love I know, alas!
I may not reach here from the orchard grass.
I drink the sunshine showered past her lips
As roses drain the dewdrop as it drips.
The ripest peach is highest on the tree,
And so mine eyes gaze upward eagerly.
Why -- why do I not turn away in wrath
And pluck some heart here hanging in my path? --
Love's lower boughs bend with them -- but, ah me!
The ripest peach is highest on the tree!

WoRdLeSs WeDnEsDaY

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

Awards for me!!

Look at the cool awards I got from Inlove with Daisies. Please go and visit her fun blog . Thank you for spreading the love my way. I do love awards, they make my day. Thanks again Inlove with Daisies.

I am going to spread the love to:

Jan Mader Ignite To Write Please go and visit Jan, she is a writer and always comes up with interesting projects that everyone can join in through comments. We recently all wrote a story together, it was a blast.

Kitty Designes Alpha is my teacher in the blog world. Most of my blogs have her cool back rounds and she is great at helping to make your blog much more eye appealing. Go and check her out please.

The Tales of Snickie, Honey, Bear and Puddles This is an incredible story of the difficulties they faced adopting their precious babies. It is amazing what you have to go through and how they never give up.

You know I love you all, please feel free to grab these awards and post them and pass them on if you care to.

Anne

Substitutions in your recipes.

I was going to make a treat for a friend who had an accident and went to my pantry and didn't have some of what I needed. I was home without a car and my neighbor who I borrow from was on vacation. I did find some substitutions and thought it would be fun to pass some on to you.

1 cup sugar~~~~~~1-1/3 cup brown sugar or 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup honey~~~~~~1-1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup liquid
1 cup brown sugar~~~~~~ 1 cup granulated sugar and 2TBSP molasses
1 cup powdered sugar~~~~~~1 cup sugar and 1TBSP corn starch, mix in blender
1 cup corn syrup~~~~~~1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup liquid
1 sq unsweetened chocolate~~~~~~3 TBSP cocoa and 3 TBSP shortening
1 oz bitter chocolate~~~~~~4 TBSP cocoa plus 2TBSP butter
6 oz package semi-sweet chocolate melted~~~~~~2 squares unsweetened chocolate plus 2TBSP shortening and 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk~~~~~~1TBSP vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes or use yogurt.

These are things I run out of and often have the substitution in my pantry somewhere. I found these in a cookbook from my church. I hope it helps you sometime when you run out.

Monday Crazy Questions 7/13/2009

http://mondaycrazyquestions.blogspot.com/

This weeks meme: Welcome to the July 13 version of Monday Crazy Questions.(which will be posted by Sunday eve)This is just a short meme meant to have some quick fun and not get too tedious! Copy and paste onto your blog, answer the questions and DON'T FORGET TO SIGN IN Below to let us know where your answers are.Every Monday we will post questions that we hope are a little thought provoking! Post pictures in your answers to the meme if you want to!Have fun!

1. Do you have a tattoo...?? if so What and where is it??if not do you have a secret desire to have one? No I do not, but as crazy as this is , my daughter (23) just got a tatoo, this last weekend. She designed it herself. I don't care because I hate tatoos!! I won't even show it to you.

2. You have been offered a free botox treatment...where do you have them put it?

No place, no time, no way!! I don't want to( hopefully) get up to heaven and have God say, "who are you", "that isn't the way I sent you down there".

3. Do you have a good luck charm? what is it? I really don't I am not very superstitious.

4. When was the last time that you said something to someone that you REALLY wished you hadn't said? I told my daughter I hated her tatoo. I love her and don't like to hurt her feelings, but I really hate tatoos.

5. The bath water is running, the phone is ringing, the dog is barking and there is someone at the door.....what do you do? No problem, give Sasha a treat and get in the tub for a nice soak. Whoever is at the door and phone can wait. If it is urgent, they will call and come back.We get a lot of solicitors in this area so I don't always answer my door anyway. If its the police, they will come in anyway, right?

6. Your best friend from high school just popped in from out of town. do you offer them a place to stay or suggest a hotel? I would offer her a place to stay after I sent her out to get pizza so I could spend an hour doing some frantic cleaning.

7. Have you ever seen a ghost? How can you see a ghost?? I don't think I have seen one, but I am positive my parents house is and always was haunted. I do believe in ghosts. There has been a very cool story about a hotel in Milwaukee(where I am from) called The Pfister, that is haunted.

8. Someone is driving in front of you rather erratically and slowing you way down...now you see that they are talking on a cell phone and checking themselves out in the mirror. The other lane is blocked off so you can not go around them. What do you do?? I would honk and honk and honk, unless they looked like the type that might have a gun, in that case I would go slowly behind them, minding my own business.

Spiritual Sundays 7/12/2009

http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/

I was having a bad day and my husband brought me home flowers. I took pictures from all angles. I decided that no matter how you look at them, they are beautiful. It is so nice to be give love and get it back in return, to get a surprise when you need it most. My love is unconditional and my faith is everlasting.

Newlyweds become oldyweds, oldyweds are the reason that families work.~Author Unknown

There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It is God's finger on man's shoulder.~Charles Morgan

Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.~George Seaton

Have a beautiful day everyone and God bless you.
Anne

Small Talk Six on Saturdays 7/11

http://www.momdot.com/blog/join-us-for-small-talk-six-on-saturdays/



Topic for Saturday, July 11, 2009:

6 things you think would be great about being a rock star (or just famous in general)

1. Lots of money. I know that is greedy, but I would just like to know what its like. I would do good charitable things with it, honest.



2. World travel, I haven't been lucky enough to see a lot of the world yet, I am sure as a rock star I would get to see it all.

3. I might get to be a guest at the White House. I have always dreamed what it would be like to be at one of those extravagant dinners. I might even be the guest of honor.

4. I would like to eat a fancy and expensive restaurants all over the world. The ones I only dream of now

5. I would get to meet Sir Paul McCartney! Enough said.

6. Ok, seriously I would like to know what it is like to have enough money to do all those things. I would also like to have enough money to be able to help people that really needed it. We had a few sad events in Michigan the past few days. One a car with 5 young people in it decided to try and outrun a train and didn't make it. All 5 are dead. In another area, a family was camping. The Dad got up early and was cold, his family was sleeping so he went to their car to warm up. He fell asleep and hit the gear, running over the tent. His wife and 1 year old daughter are ok, but the 5 year old son is critical. He is a homeless Irag vet and they were living in the tent. Now they are going to take the children away until he can provide a home for them. Now I wish I had the money I earned from being a rock star to buy that family a home and get that child the best medical care available. I wish I could pay for the funerals of those 5 families and get them the help they needed. It wouldn't change anything but it might give them less to worry about.

I am sorry to end on a sad note, but I can't get these stories off my mind and I thought they could use some extra prayers from the blogasphere.

Thanks Anne

Aloha Friday # 90

http://islandlife808.com/

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and click on the link above for more information. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
My question is:

What is your favorite thing to cook on the grill?? The one that makes your mouth water, just thinking about it. You are on your way home in the car and your stomach is growling with delight at the thought of...

True Colours 7/9/09 Navy Blue

http://poopsiestruecolours.blogspot.com/

The cracker jack guy is in the navy and wearing blue. Does that count?

Sasha is wearing her navy blue Detroit Tigers helmet( not by choice, hence the quality of the photo)

I didn't take this photo, it is a night shot of Summerfest in Milwaukee. The largest music festival in the world. I thought it had enough navy blue to qualify.

My husband works for Ford, so we love this navy blue symbol .