Week 62, 2-26-2017

Thoughts and Quotes: Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality.  If you can dream it, you can make it so.

                                                                                Belva Davis

She should have added, "If it doesn't kill you first". Or maybe, "If it doesn't bankrupt you first". That's how I'm feeling about these books. I was so tired one day this week, I went to bed at 9:30 p.m., read until 10:00 p.m. and got up at 8:00 a.m. And my grocery bill this month looks like I have a family of eight. But - I'm making progress on the books.

Tablescapes: I finished the purple one. I've decided to call it Passion for Purple, because it certainly is purple. When Joey learned that I was looking for purple flowers, she brought me a beautiful bouquet. When I got out the dishes, I discovered that sometime in the past I bought a garland of purple flowers and put it in the box with the dishes. So now the dilemma. Do I use the real flowers or the fake garland? I hope you'll give me some feedback on this, please.

Real flowers

Silk flowers

Theme Dinners: I already had photos of the table, which aren't great, but I think I'll use them anyway. It's Buon Appetito.

I had photos of the party favors - a book about Italy, which I found at Dollar Tree. You can see them (wrapped) beside each plate.

And bookmarks I made. I'm probably the only one who read the book.

I redid the menu and left off tiramisu because no one really likes it, and I added the faux wine. It's actually cherry juice made by Juicy Juice and really good. Jucy Juices don't have added sugar.

Took a photo of the invitation

But I didn't have photos of the food, so I had to make it again.

I'm not posting the lasagna recipe, because it's a whole lot of work and not that great. I'll work on it later; can't look another bite of lasagna in the eye right now. However, I found a recipe for panna cotta made with sour cream, which I do really like. Here's the LINK.

And I think you'll like making the breadsticks because they're so easy and really good.

BREADSTICKS

Refrigerated breadsticks

Melted butter

Tea leaves, Italian seasoning, rosemary, chives, sea salt, Parmesan, lavender, garlic or onion powder, sesame seeds, etc.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush breadsticks with butter and sprinkle with one or more of the above.  Go easy with the salt.

Bake on parchment or foil lined cookie sheet for 12-14 minutes.

I'm working on the Cardinal Tea, I still have to do Scarlett's Favorites Theme Dinner, and the Yearning for Spring Tablescape and only two days left in February. 

For Muffin Tin Monday, I made the Morning Glory Muffins again. They're so good, and full of things which are good for you - pineapple, apples, carrots, raisins, walnuts, coconut. I posted the recipe on Year 2, Week 7. They're rather a pain to make, but worth the work.

Tidy Up Tuesday was another Lick and Promise cleaning. Poor house, patiently waiting for a good deep clean.

Where to Wednesday, Bill, Joey and I went to Joplin so Bill could see Sonny's paver at the Veterans Memorial. It was a beautiful sunny day and Becky had taped a red rose as a marker so we could find it easily. I took lots of photos of the Memorial which I posted on Year 1, Week 47. I did take one photo which I somehow missed before.

Jim met us for lunch in Joplin, and this is what you see the minute you walk in the door.

They sell a lot of pie.

This is in the lobby, but your eye somehow goes right to the pies.

For Try Something Thursday, I tried making my lasagna without pre-cooking the noodles. My daughter does it, my brother does it, my nephew does it, the lady at Walmart does it, and I tried it. The corners where there wasn't much sauce were crispy, and the bottom layer where there was some overlapping were cooked, but not as soft as I'd like them. When I work that recipe over, I hope I can figure it out, because it would certainly save time.

Friends Over Friday happened on Thursday, when friends came to eat the Buon Appetito dinner. I hit the wall on Friday and dragged around all day.

Tasting: Thursday was Very Exclusive Cooking Club lunch at Bev's. We're down to three members now, so could add a fourth if anyone is interested. 

We had "Mouse" salad

Beer and cheese soup with popcorn croutons

Sister Shubert rolls

And chocolate cake with four fillings: Chocolate, almond, peanut butter, and cherry.

She made the cake in a "'Fillables" pan

This is the first time I'd seen one of these pans, but I discovered that they come in other shapes, as well. Here's the LINK, and click on Pans.

We got yummy peanut butter fudge in these sweet little boxes as our party favors. I took a photo of the fudge, but didn't notice the page of names, addresses and phone numbers of Bev's Bunco Club next to it, so can't show you. I need to learn how to crop photos. Later.

And Mim brought me these sweet little salt and pepper shakers. I love them.

The Pepper Report: I left the front door ajar Thursday night, so Joey, Robert, and Bill could just come on in, since I was busy in the kitchen. It blew open, and then Robert closed it, but it blew open again before Bill arrived. Somewhere in between, Pepper decided to go outside. We looked all over the house, but thought he probably went out because when he's inside, he wants to be where the people are.

I called him in the front. I called him in the back. No Pepper. We finished dinner and were playing dominoes with the door open since we'd had a day in the upper 70's and the evening was still warm. After a bit, Pepper came walking in the front door. Guess he truly has become a house cat. Later I discovered why he came in. He needed to go to the bathroom.

The Unexpected: Thursday we were running around outside in short sleeves. Today was overcast, and suddenly this:

My poor daffodils

And then it melted. By the time I went to the market in the late afternoon, it had all disappeared.

I'll finish February this week and March will be much easier - and I want to finish a book I'm reading by accident so I can tell you about it. Fascinating read.

CELEBRATE MARDI GRAS

THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS

WATCH YOUR BUDGET

DO A NO-RAIN DANCE FOR CALIFORNIA

GOD BLESS AMERICA

AND PEACE-LOVING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE