GREAT RECIPE TIP

We were away for the weekend and I didn't get online too much. Plus I didn't feel too good. We went to Summerville to have our picture taken at the fundraiser that Sue & Otis's church was having. We had a good time, though, even though I didn't feel so good. When we came home Sunday evening I went to bed. Yesterday I stayed low until I went to meet Jackee halfway between the town they live in and ours. She was bringing Dominique and Tyler back to stay with us until they start back to school in a few weeks. Then today I went to a memorial service for a dear man that just about our whole town loved. I came home and fixed dinner and now I am going to give you this tip and then go work on my new job with ChaCha. Yep!!! I got accepted and I love it! It is an amazing service and I am glad to be a part of it. I am still learning and can't wait to get on a roll.

Anyhow, here comes my tip. It is really a tip from Jackee, my youngest daughter. She sent it to me in an email today and I love it. I love to cook so this is the perfect website for me. It is http://www.fooddownunder.com/ and is amazing. You can get recipes for just about any nationality for any type of dish. Like I said, I love it. Now I will say goodnight and I am going to ChaCha now. Have a great evening.

ChaCha

I still haven't found out yet whether I have been accepted for the online job at ChaCha.com. However, I thought I would share them with you. Anyone in the U.S. can text or call them from a cell phone with a question for anything. The question is routed to one of their Guides (which I hope to be) who researches and answers the question. It's a little more involved on ChaCha's end, but, that is the gist of it. I think this is a fantastic idea and I am so surprised I never heard of it. Chris said that she had seen something about it on t.v. before. The company has been around since 2006. To call them it is 800 2chacha or to text send the text to 242242. I love it and am just sorry I didn't hear about it earlier. Give it a try. Who knows, one day I might be the one answering your question!!

I didn't write here yesterday because I was accepted by one of the online companies that I had applied with. The training and testing took awhile and I loved it!! Hopefully, all will go well and I will be given the go-ahead to start working for them. It is a company that received all kinds of questions from people around the U.S. via cell phones by voice or text. The guides look up the info and text it back. It's a little more involved than that, though, and very, very interesting. Anyhow, here's another of Chef Luck's recipes that would be great for a party.

Spicy Goat Cheese Dip
Serves 12 people

Canola Oil 2 Tablespoons
Garlic Cloves 4 each
Red Onion (Finely Sliced) 1 Small
Chipotle Peppers (Pureed) 2 each
Cream Cheese 1#
Goat Cheese 6 ounces
Boursin Cheese 12 ounces
Thyme Leaves 2 sprigs
Cilantro (Finely Chopped) ¼ bunch
Kosher Salt To Taste
Cumin To Taste

Procedure: In a small sauté pan, heat the canola oil on medium high temperature. Add the garlic cloves and cook until golden brown, remove from the pan. Add the onions to the oil and cook until golden brown and caramelized, remove from heat and allow cooling. Puree the garlic, onions, and chipotle peppers in a food processor and reserve for later. In a food processor with a paddle attachment, cream all cheeses together until smooth. Add pureed pepper mixture to cheese and the herbs. Season the dip with salt and ground cumin and adjust seasoning to taste. Scrape into a medium sized saucepot and slowly heat the dip. Serve with any variety of sides to dip such as bread slices, vegetables, or deli meats.

For some reason I woke up feeling not so good. I have to drive to Summerville today so I hope I start feeling better. Plus Marcy and I are doing our flea market thing this weekend. This time we will have 2 tables. Have a great weekend and I hope I do the same!!

SUNSHINE SMOOTHIES

It has been a while since I have been on the blog. This summer, both traveling and company has put me in a funk. SORRY!
One quick recipe to start---
In a blender or food processor, puree 2 containers (6 oz. each ) nonfat lemon yogurt. 1 cup lemonade, 1 cup honey, and 2 cups ice cubes. Mix 1 minute or until smooth. Glasses should be chilled and garnished with a lemon slice for guests. This tastes great and is very easy. Have a safe day.................

COCONUT MACAROONS

Today I continued to work myself out of my "funk" and went to the beauty salon. I had my hair washed, cut and highlighted. I told my stylist I felt like a new woman. Then I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things. When I came home I put a smoked turkey leg and wing on to boil for some turnip greens. I, also, had a taste for pig's feet so I bought some and put those on to boil with some taco seasoning in it. I put a London Broil in a plastic bag with some marinade and then had to go with Bill to a checkup with his medical doctor. The report was good and the doctor said everything was fine, all the numbers are good and his mind is working great. Fantastic!! Plus now when I go to the Ben E. King Celebrity Golf Tournament next month I won't feel guilty. He doesn't have to go back until November. We then came home and I finished dinner so Bill could eat before he went to his Knights meeting. I put the greens in the pot with the smoked turkey, put the L.B. on the grill and baked potatoes in the microwave. Bill had his dinner before he left. I still have a lot of catching up to do, but, I am working on it. Our room and my dresser top is looking much better. The big chore is going to be straightening out the papers and files in the computer room. I have a bunch of mail to go through and am dreading it. The most time-consuming part is shredding, shredding and more shredding. I won't get a chance to get through all of that until next week, though. I can't start it until next week because I have laundry to do tomorrow that I want to get done before we go to visit Sue and Otis. Friday I will not be getting up too early so I can rest for my drive to their home. We are going to take part in the fundraiser for her church with the professional photographer. Yes, Aunt Irene, I will definitely send you a copy! Now I am going to include another one of my nephew Chef Luck's recipes. One of my favorite things to eat!!

Coconut Macaroons
1 ea Egg White

1 Tbl Granulated Sugar

1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/8 tsp Almond Extract

3/4 cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut
Butter and flour for preparing baking sheet and foil

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Butter a baking sheet, then line with foil and lightly butter and flour foil, knocking off excess flour. Stir together egg white, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until combined, then stir in coconut. Divide coconut mixture into fourths, then drop in 4 mounds (about 2 inches apart) onto baking sheet. Bake until tops are pale golden in spots, 15 to 20 minutes, then carefully lift foil with cookies from baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Peel macaroons from foil.

I love coconut macaroons! I don't know why, but, the first time that I tasted them that I can remember was in the Philippines when we lived there. I could eat a whole batch of them all by myself. Now I am going to bed so I can get up in the morning and start my laundry. Plus Marcy and I have to run out to run some errands, too. Have a marvelous, restful, peaceful night!!!!

CHILLED CUCUMBER AVOCADO SOUP

Today I am pretty busy going through closets in our bedroom, throwing things out, rearranging and general all-over cleaning. I hate it!! But, it has to be done. I stopped to take a break and thought I would write a little and give another of my nephew's great recipes.

Chilled Cucumber Avocado Soup
2 cups Cucumbers (Peeled, Seeded, Sliced)
1 cup Avocados (Peeled, Seeded, and Diced)
2 oz Jalapeno (Small Diced)
1 bunch Cilantro
2 Tbl Lemon Juice
1 cup Plain Yogurt
Pinch Salt
¼ cup Water

Place all ingredients into a large blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste and chill for 3-4 hours.

Bill's sleep lab visit last night went okay. He will learn shortly what the results were. Hopefully, he won't have to wear the sleep mask at night. Jackee called from Orlando and said they are having a great time. The place they are staying at is great and they love it there.

Well, I guess I better get back to my room cleaning chore and get dinner started. Have a great evening.

BOUNCE TIPS

Our friend, P.J., just emailed the following tips to me that I think are great so I thought I would pass them along. By the way, she just became a new grandmother to a beautiful baby girl! Congratulations, P.J.!


Bounce This Along

My mail carrier told me that the US Postal service sent out a message to
all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to
keep yellow-jackets away.

Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I
am working outside. It really works. The yellow jackets just veer around
you.

1. All this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer! It
will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels
mice.

2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that
are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.

3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened
too often.

4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when
outdoors during mosquito season.

5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer)
Screen.

6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your
television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling

7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors.
Clean with a sheet of Bounce.

8. To freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce
in a drawer or hang in the closet.

9. Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.

10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a Sheet
of Bounce before beginning to sew.

11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside
empty luggage before storing.

12. To freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the
front seat.

13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill
with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static
agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan.

14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the
bottom of the wastebasket.

15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will
magnetically attract all the loose hairs.

16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds
with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.

17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of
Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.

18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of
Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.

19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes
or sneakers overnight.

20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees
away.
21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and
storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.

Now I will get back to looking for a work-at-home job. I have been checking the forum at workplacelikehome.com. I do know that you never pay anyone for the opportunity to find a work-at-home job. This website is very informative and I am enjoying the search. Have a great day!!

CHILLED PEACH SOUP

I think I mentioned before that I come from a large loving family. One of my nephews is a very busy chef at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado. A little while ago a t.v. station did a feature on him. And I remember when my mother, my sister, Roxy, and I attended a cooking competition that he was in when he was in Culinary Arts School. Look at him now. He has several others under him, plus teaches cooking classes and still took time to send me some recipes for our blog. I never even asked him. He has always been a sweet thoughtful young man, though, so I shouldn't be surprised. I remember when his dad, my brother, was living he loved to cook. I would get calls from him telling me about a new dish he was going to make or try. This was way before my nephew was even born.

Chilled Peach Soup

2 cups Fresh Peach (Pitted and Diced)
1 cup Sour Cream
½ cup Honey
4 oz Champagne
8 oz Peach Tea
1 Tbl Lime Zest
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Place all ingredients into a large blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste and chill for 3-4 hours.

Hopefully, I will see him next month and I can give him a big hug and kiss for the great recipes that he sent. My niece, Tamika, who is also a sweetheart is organizing a party to be held on my mother's birthday next month in her honor. The menu will be Mommy's favorite foods. Or I should say some of her favorites. Anyhow it will be fun and we're looking forward to it.

The last few days I have been getting in our spa on our back deck with Marcy. It feels good on these old bones and we tried to get Bill to do it, too. But, he hasn't yet. We really feel good when we get out of the water and he should really do it. But, he's stubborn. Anyhow, try the chilled peach soup and I am sure you will love it. Have a great evening.

PICNIC TEA

Well, I am back. I have undisputedly been in a funk since my mom died and seems like I couldn't get motivated to do anything that I didn't have to do. I have over 2,000 emails that have piled up, an enormous pile of mail that has been just sitting waiting for me to get to it, phone calls that should have been made, etc. I have decided to push myself and get back on track and here I go.

PICNIC TEA

1 cup water

2 tea bags

1/4 12-oz can frozen cranberry juice concentrate

1 6-oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate

1/2 cup pear nectar

Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add tea bags; remove from heat. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add juice concentrates and pear nectar. Stir until concentrates melt. Serve over ice. Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Last night I went to a Knights of Columbus dinner with Bill which I didn't know I was supposed to go to until 2 days before. It was an officer's installation dinner and was very nice. Some of the guys, also, got awards for certain things. Bill got one of the Patriotic awards for his volunteering that he does at the V.A. hospital with a group of other knights. He loves doing it and never expected an award for it. Yesterday, also, Dominique and Tyler was picked up by Jackee because they are making a family trip to Orlando today. I miss them already. Last Friday Marcy's oldest son, Arrit, and his family came to visit for the weekend. They stayed until Wednesday because he was helping Bill get some much needed work done around the house. He was a true blessing. Plus we enjoyed spending time with the twins who are 8 months old. Now I am going outside to hose and wash down our back deck and gazebo. Marcy and I have started using our spa in our gazebo and I need to get it a little more cleaned out. Have a great Saturday!!