Dream Latte

This picture is the closest I can come to some bubbly today!  It's a dark chocolate dream latte from Tim Horton's.  I got an email from them with a coupon for a free one.  Well, I needed to buy some more coffee anyway!

Have a great New Year's Eve!  My plan so far is to watch the BBC livestream of the Queen/Adam Lambert NYE Concert in London England, starting at 6.15pm Eastern Standard Time.

Halifax Library

Apparently there is a new library in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, designed as a stack of books.  Here are a few photos I found:

Here is a nice look inside:

Pomegranate Salad

I made this rather gourmet salad recently.  It was romaine lettuce with pomegranate, grated good quality parmesan cheese and a few leaves of fresh basil.  I used a raspberry vinaigrette dressing on top.  It was fresh and delicious.  Do you like pomegranate?

I watched this movie 'Moneyball' (2011) starring Brad Pitt, with husband M and son K on the weekend.  It is a very enjoyable and inspiring baseball movie.   They both have seen it before and enjoy watching it.

Sunday Sketches - Dishwasher

Welcome to Sunday Sketches. Glad to hear that our host Alexandra is starting to feel better, she has been ill.

This mundane piece is called 'Dishwasher', done in my art journal in watercolour pencil (5"h x 7"w). Yes we did get a new dishwasher for Christmas! I included the fallen spoon to add a bit of interest!

Holiday Recap

Isn't this a lovely variegated poinsettia?

I invited a cousin who is single to spend Christmas Eve with us at home.  Daughter L's boyfriend was also able to join us.  I made a simple baked chicken dish that everyone enjoyed.  It was a relaxing evening.  My cousin and I caught up with old times and a lot of family gossip.  Our ears are still ringing!

We spent Christmas Day with husband M's extended family. His older sister always entertains. Everyone was happily in attendance except for poor daughter L and her boyfriend. They were unable to attend as they were sick, especially L. Son K decided it was time to hand down some of his old toys to the younger generation. K has a lot of nice toy cars, model cars, remote control, etc. He still could not part with a few special models, lol. The kids seemed to enjoy playing with K's 'dusted-up' old toys more than the brand new ones they received. I suspect K's toys were less 'educational'.

While we were gone L said her old piano teacher dropped by the house to wish her a Merry Christmas.  It was a nice surprise.

The malls were packed with Boxing Day shoppers yesterday.  Your best bet was to stay out of the jammed parking lots.  The spring-like weather surely encouraged people to be out and about.  Last year this time we were suffering from a terrible ice-storm and many people lost power to their homes for days, even weeks.  My cousin who we saw on Christmas Eve decided to drop off some of  her special pork rib dish that she knew we loved. 

And so that's it for another year.

Paint Party Friday - Docked

Welcome to Paint Party Friday. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I personally am longing for a bit of 'down' time. It has been a busy week.

My piece today is called 'Docked'. It's done in my art journal (5"h x 7"w) in watercolour pencil.

Warmest Wishes

From our house to yours!

Two Greedy Italians

I found this lovely food show Two Greedy Italians on the TLN Telelatino TV network channel recently.  They made this simple, delicious recipe called Silk Handkerchief pasta with pesto.  I will try to make the pesto sauce anyway.

I read that stores such as Target and Lowe's
are marketing 'slim' artificial Christmas Trees for smaller living spaces such as today's condominiums.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!  I do have a short post scheduled for tomorrow.  I usually celebrate Christmas Eve with my mom, sister and her family.  Unfortunately not this year, family discord (ever heard of those?). 

Food for the Gods

I had a bad cough all week but fortunately seem to be almost fully recovered.  I've managed to entertain the past two nights and it has been fun, just a few friends each time.

 Food for the Gods, also known as a blonde brownie, I think these walnut date squares are very delicious.  My girlfriend brought some over a few weeks ago and I had to ask her for the recipe.  She told me I could google it, and I used this recipe with a bit less sugar. There was another similar, somewhat richer recipe which included molasses, honey and brandy, and I decided to add that special touch as well.

 I'm not known for finely mixing my ingredients, having more of a rustic (lazy) touch, lol.

Ingredients:

(makes 24 squares or one small loaf)

3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tbs honey (optional)
1 1/2 tbs molasses (optional)
3 tbs brandy or wine (optional)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup pitted dates, chopped

Directions:

Combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, eggs (and optional ingredients if desired).
Sift dry ingredients, toss in nuts and dates until well coated.
Fold into wet ingredients.

Bake 325ºF for 40-45 min in a 7 x 11 brownie pan lined with parchment paper. I actually just used a small loaf pan.

Funny

I thought this would be a good one to start your Monday off:

I dropped off some chocolates for the ladies who work at my favourite McDonald's restaurant the other day.  I got the brightest smiles as I wished them a 'Merry Christmas'.   They wouldn't let me pay for the small latte I ordered.  That made my day too!

Later on that same day, I had lunch with another lady I met years ago at my gym.  She dislikes the season perhaps because she has no close family left and maybe just a few friends.  I gave her a print of one of my Christmas cards that I painted, one with fancy red shoes, and she really appreciated it.  She said she would put it up on her mantlepiece.  It did seem like her style, to match her new car!

Sunday Sketches - Reflection

This is a quick sketch for Sunday Sketches, done in my art journal (5"h x 7"w) in watercolour pencil. It's meant to be trees reflected in a river.  Merry Christmas when it arrives, real soon!

Oatmeal Cookies

I made these oatmeal cookies recently from a recipe I had saved more than 3 years ago but never tried. This will be a keeper recipe, I think the cookies are amazing. They are large and soft. You can add chocolate chips or raisins or cranberries and it is EASY.

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

3 cups oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips or raisins or cranberries


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Crack eggs into a medium bowl. Stir in sugar. Add softened butter and mix well. Stir in vanilla.

Add flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients until just blended
Stir in chocolate chips or raisins or cranberries. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Paint Party Friday - After the Snowfall

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! This piece is entitled 'After the Snowfall' inspired by a recent 20 cm (close to 8 inches) snowfall we had.  Then the weather got mild and it looks like it will be a green Christmas.  This piece is done in my art journal (5"h x 7"w) in watercolour pencil. We really do have some grey days like this at this time of year, with no sunshine.

Cookie Making

There was a wonderful, even uplifting (maybe inspiring is the right word) story in the paper recently.  It's concerning this lady whose husband has body dementia and how she cares for him with love.

Daughter L was at her boyfriend's family's house one weekend and sent me this photo of these lovely 'sugar dusted cocoa cookies with rolo filling' that they made. I love anything cocoa, I loved these.

They also made these lovely classic shortbread cookies:

Buttermilk Chicken

I had some leftover buttermilk that I wanted to use up.  I found this wonderful recipe for 'oven-fried buttermilk chicken'.  It might be one of the best chicken dishes I've ever made!  And it's easy.

buttermilk marinade

all done

Here is my adapted recipe:

I noticed that marinating overnight is worth it. Also the breadcrumbs soak up the buttermilk dripping while baking and there will be a delicious flavour and smell. It's also an easy recipe. Recommend!

Ingredients

2 cups buttermilk
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Sriracha
1/2 tsp tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbs dried oregano
4 chicken legs, backs attached, skin removed
1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tbs olive oil

Instructions

pre-heat oven 350F

Add the buttermilk, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, paprika, oregano, onion powder and cayenne to the chicken. Cover, and refrigerate 12 hours, turning once. Bread the chicken. Spread olive oil over a parchmentpaper-lined baking tray. Place chicken on tray. Bake until golden and crispy 45 mins, flipping for last 15 mins.

Creative Tuesdays - My Favourite Piece 2014

For Creative Tuesdays, I chose this one as my favourite piece this year:

And these are my 2014 Christmas Cards, I actually had three different designs printed with my original art!  Which one would you prefer to receive?

Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful holiday season and a happy 2015!

Monday Greeting

Son K recently asked/bugged me to make some cookies.  I found an old recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which called for brown sugar.  It would be the perfect opportunity to use up some hardened brown sugar I had stored in a spaghetti jar.  I googled and found a neat way to soften it.  It said to put a moistened paper towel in the jar with the hardened sugar and microwave in bursts of 20 seconds.  In between bursts you break up the softening sugar.  The good news is that it worked and I was able to use up the old sugar.  Lost without the internet, that would be me! 

Husband M and I went with some friends to the Donny and Marie Christmas show currently playing in Toronto. They are pros, Marie was beautifully dressed and we had a good time. Well, except traffic was so bad that night we were 20 minutes late for the show. I've never been late for a show before.

Sunday Sketches - On the Water

For Sunday Sketches, I did an angel on the water in my art journal (5"h x 7"w) in watercolour pencil. I base the wings on pictures of birds.  Have a wonderful Sunday!  We are getting so close to Christmas.

Home Baked Goodies

Some longtime friends dropped by the other night with some home-baked goodies.  Isn't that what the season is all about?  It's a great chance to catch up on each other's news too and to know that everyone is well.

This past Thursday we had about 20 cms (7.8 inches) of snow all day.  It was so pretty.  I went for a walk after we shovelled the driveway, we actually shovelled twice.  I met this friendly dog in a pathway and his owner was not far behind.  She was on cross country skis.  She was about my age, at first I perceived her to be older then I realized that is what I look like!  I told her she had a great idea with the skis as I trudged through all the snow.

Paint Party Friday - Her Orange Wings

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! This piece is called 'Her Orange Wings'. It's done in my art journal (5"h x 7"w) in watercolour pencil.

Bacon Garlic Cheesebread

Daughter L made these bacon garlic cheesebread loaves recently for an office party she attended. Doesn't it look great? Unfortunately, it was an all-female party and the host is gluten-free. Many of the ladies ate mostly salads but did taste the bread. It meant we had lots of leftovers and we didn't mind!

Just like dad

Son K sent me this cute photo he found online:

I heard there is a huge storm heading for Northern California and I am worried for family and friends who live there. 

So True

Well, I've mailed all our Christmas cards out and most of the gifts are wrapped.  Mind you, I use gift bags!  The tree's been up for about a week and I'm enjoying having it lit up at night, it makes me happy.  The house is all decorated. 

Good One

This seemed like a good one to post considering this commercial time of year!

Son K has college exams this week then he is off until the winter semester starts in the New Year.  It will be nice to have a break.

One of my sisters suggested that our mom has dementia as opposed to Alzheimers.  They are different, both bad.  Lately, she doesn't seem able to get dressed by herself.  It is depressing.  She is 76.

Sunday Sketches - Rosebud

Welcome to Sunday Sketches! This piece is called 'Rosebud' and is done in my art journal in watercolour pencil (5"h x 7"w).  Don't flowers make you happy, especially roses!  It's something about their beautiful petals, the shape and colours.

Latte

I seem to be doing a lot of 'warm drink' posts lately, a sign of the times. I found this funny one at Martha's blog.

When I went into McDonald's for a cup of coffee the other day, the cashiers asked if I had tried the new creme brulee latte. I admitted that I had and that it was good, but unfortunately too fattening for me. I told them I knew I was gaining weight and why. It is from eating all the leftover Halloween chocolates. One of the women said her daughter hides her stash, but it seems her husband had found them! We had a good laugh about that, poor kid.

Paint Party Friday - Soaring

Welcome to Paint Party Friday. This piece is entitled 'Soaring' done in my art journal in watercolour pencil (5"h x 7"w). After observing photos of the way birds fly, I realized the legs are always straight back, I suppose Superman looks the same when he 'flies'. This soaring angel exhibits an inspiring sense of freedom I think.  Wouldn't it be nice to feel free like this sometimes, perhaps from all our responsibilities.

Festive Cup

Here's a festive cup of coffee from Panera Bread. Husband M really likes their light roast, I wonder if they market it like all the other vendors? We were talking to a friendly cashier. She said she had some days off during some snowy, cold bad weather a few weeks ago. Sitting at home cooped up inside, she booked a holiday for herself thinking that she had had enough of that!  Good for her, we said!

There was a little girl

Here's the festive cup this year at McDonald's Canada:

I read a good review in the newspaper about the new book by Brooke Shields called 'There was a little girl'. It's on my list now. She talks about her relationship with her strong, yet alcoholic mom. It sounds open and honest.  Apparently it took her 9 months to write, and it wasn't cathartic.  One interesting tidbit was that Susan Sarandon slapped her 9 times in different takes of one scene in the movie 'Pretty Baby'.  Brooke's mom hinted it might have been some resentment due to Brooke having the lead role in the movie.  Brooke sounds like a real survivor.

Seasonal Goodies

The kids are busy visiting Santa at the mall these days and here are some seasonal goodies from Walmart:

Our minivan has had this annoying rattle in the back left side for a few years now.  Husband M finally got annoyed enough to report the problem to the car dealer when he went to get snow tires put on recently.  Wouldn't you know, they found the problem right away.  It seems the spare tire had come loose from its supports and a screw just needed tightening.  We didn't even know that's where the spare tire was let alone how to get at it. We did know where the sound was coming from.  All is well that ends well!

Kid's Lambo

Welcome to December!

Son K showed me this photo and said it even has real working lights.  Even the wheel rims are amazing. He wished he could've had this one as a young kid!  This one's  $269 Canadian dollars at Costco, I would've thought it was more.  Well, he did have a little used Fisher Price jeep I had found at a garage sale for about $30, it worked well enough.

The malls have been crowded since the beginning of November, it may show that the economy is in good shape.  Oil prices are certainly down.

Sunday Sketches - More Leaves

Welcome to Sunday Sketches! This quick sketch is done in my art journal in watercolour pencil
(5"h x 7"w). I called it 'More Leaves'.  Have a wonderful Sunday!  The Holiday season is upon us!

Do You Remember

These:

And did you hear about the star gazing shrimp discovered in South Africa? This article has a photo of one.

Paint Party Friday - Fall Scene

Welcome to Paint Party Friday!  This is a 'Fall Scene' done in my art journal (5"w x 7"h) in watercolour pencil.  So are you starting to get ready for Christmas?  I get stressed just thinking about it.

Do you remember

These? They were a lot of fun at one time.

And have you seen the trailer for the new Disney Cinderella movie?  I'd love to see this one, I loved everything Cinderella as a child.

Porchetta

I found this pork shoulder roast stuffed with prosciutto at the grocery store the other day. It came in its own foil baking pan with its own meat thermometer inserted. All I had to do was bake it according to the instructions and remove it when the thermometer popped up! It was delicious, maybe a bit salty. I can bake my own meat but it was nice to try something different for a change.  Yes and it was perfectly roasted.

Creative Tuesdays - Dreams of December

Welcome to Creative Tuesdays! Michael's theme this week is 'Dreams of December'. It doesn't have to be about Xmas, it's whatever you're dreaming of for December. Here's my piece in my art journal in watercolour pencil (5"w x 7"h).  I decided to do a little angel ornament in pewter hanging off a snowy branch.  The sentiment here is one of Hope for the coming year.  At the last minute I added a touch of yellow sunshine to the vignette.

I could also have done mince pies with ice cream, I do dream of that in December!

HIV Drugs may treat eye disease

Have you seen the new Imagine Unicef music video?   Do you like it?  I do.

I noticed this interesting article on the web the other day. It's interesting as we are all aging. It seems the drug has anti-inflammatory properties and might be of use in treating age-related macular degeneration. It seems to be preserving vision in mice so far:
HIV drugs show promise in treating common eye disease.

Sunday Sketches - Trees

Welcome to Sunday Sketches! This is a piece done in my art journal (5"h x 7"w) in watercolour pencil. It's called 'Trees' for want of a better name. It is based on a photo I took. It was a cloudless day, and I added the sun for extra effect.

Quick Roasted Vegetables

These are my roasted vegetables.  They are quick and simple to make using an assortment of vegetables.  I used zucchini, mushrooms, onions and sweet peppers in this batch.  I add 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil, half a teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (or your favourite herb dried or fresh), and a splash of lemon juice (or balsamic vinegar).  Mix everything and bake at 350F for ten minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Paint Party Friday - November

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! This piece is called 'November' based on a photo I took at this time of year. It's done in my art journal in watercolour pencil (5"w x 7"h).

Creme Brulee Latte

I tried this creme brulee latte at McDonald's the other day. It was delicious as I had been told, but it is like a dessert, beware the multitude of calories!  It's like one of those Starbucks drinks full of whipped cream.

We've had a cold blast of winter the past few days...and lots of snow.  It should be back to more seaonal temperatures next week.

This is a scary news story, a Canadian family is considering bankruptcy after being hit with a $1 million dollar medical bill. They were in Hawaii on vacation and the wife was 6 months pregnant at the time. The baby was born prematurely and the insurance company says she had a pre-existing condition, a bladder infection which caused some bleeding. They are saying she had a high-risk pregnancy.  The woman says she was cleared for travel and was never high-risk.

Clouds

I took this photo the other day and was pleased with the way it turned out. I wanted to share it with you, the clouds looked amazing like that.

'The picture of a fly in the urinals at Schiphol Airport has been touted as a simple, inexpensive way to reduce cleaning costs. Where does it come from, and how effective is it really?' Read this article to find out!