Happy Thanksgiving!

TURKEY RECIPE

I thought this sounded good!
Here is a turkey recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing -- imagine that. When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for people like me, who just are not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try.
8 - 15 lb. turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good.)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S LOW FAT)
Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt, and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the oven.
Listen for the popping sounds. When the turkey's butt blows the oven door open and the bird flies across the room, it's done.
And, you thought I didn't cook... ....hehe
Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Fruit & Walnut Banana Bread

Today, I wanted to show you the recipe that I developed from a traditional banana bread recipe. The banana bread alone is spectacular, but I wanted to change it a little. As you all know, too much of a good thing gets boring after a while, so I added some extra ingredients to the recipe to enliven it a little and change the flavor. We really love this recipe, but I will switch it out at times to keep it lively.

Fruit & Walnut Banana Bread

3/4 C. All Purpose Flour

1 1/4 C. Whole Wheat Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon Ginger

Sift all the above ingredients together. Set aside.

1/2 C. Butter or Shortening. (I use Olivio Soft Margarine.)

1 C. Sugar

1/8 C. Molasses

1 C. (2 medium sized ) mashed Bananas

1/2 C. Milk

1 teaspoon Lemon juice or Vinegar

1/2 C. chopped Walnuts

1/2 C. Raisins

1/2 C. Craisins

Cream Butter. Gradually add sugar, creaming well. Add eggs, bananas, and molasses. Blend thoroughly. Combine milk and lemon juice. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition. Dredge fruits and walnuts with some extra flour, this keeps the fruit and nuts from sinking to the bottom of the bread. Stir into batter. Grease bottom of 9 x 5 x 3 inch pan. Pour in batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 min, until bread springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 min. Remove from pan. Finish cooling on a wire rack. Store at room temperature, wrapped in aluminum foil. This is extra good, spread with butter or margarine and lightly heated in the microwave. It is also one of those breads that is better the longer it sits. I hope you will try my recipe and I am sure that you will enjoy it. Yum! I think I'll go make one now! And if you make it, let me know how you like it!

A Christmas Giveaway!

I was just visiting with Yvette over at The Charm House and she is having a fabulous giveaway! The prize is a beautiful Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus set for Christmas! This is a picture of the set:

This set is a Fontanini 5" Collection Holy Family. It is gorgeous and all you have to do is go to her blog and leave a comment. She has some other ways that you can get more than one entry, but you need to go to her blog to find out how to do that. It's easy, I assure you! Go See! To get to Yvette's blog you can click on the flashing green button on the right.......

My Tea Tray...

It's tea time at my house............. Come on over............

'Til next time, Love ya, Jean

My Mantle:

Today I wanted to show my collection of Silverplate............ I don't think it's that valuable $ wise, but I love it anyway. The curves, the patina of many colors,

and the designs from years ago, makes it all very special to me.

The small cup on the right side is my daughter's when she was a baby. All the pieces have very special memories to me and that's why I love it so much.

'Til next time. Love ya, Jean

Thanksgiving -- Here We Come......

It's hard to believe it's here already, but it is that time again. These guys are just hanging around waiting for the big day!

This one has a message for all of us!

They are very thankful, especially Tom Turkey. They would like us to eat fruit! I prefer pumpkin pie.

Just a little vignette next to the fireplace.

My living room wall with some pumpkins residing beside the turkey. He is still hoping for the best!
And this guy is giving us all a wish for a Happy Thanksgiving.
'Til next time, Love Ya, Jean

A Giveaway Announcement!

I was just visiting with Donna at An Enchanted Cottage and she is having a great giveaway! She is giving a book entitled "Sensible Chic". This book is based on the HGTV show by the same name. It is the softcover, 191 page version. The deadline is next Wednesday, Nov 12, around noon time. That's when she'll be drawing the name of the lucky winner. To be entered you just need to go to her blog and leave a comment. Easy? YES! If you mention this giveaway in your blog, go to her blog and leave a comment saying that you did, she will enter your name in the drawing twice! She also has an extra surprise that she will announce when she chooses the big winner. So, HURRY, go over there and enter! She is choosing a new look for "Patience" and wants our opinions. Who is "Patience"? You need to go and find out! 'Til next time, Love ya, Jean

Photo Tag!

Donna at An Enchanted Cottage, tagged me for a game of Photo Tag. The rules are, I have to go to my computer photo folders, open the 4th folder and post about the 4th photo-- This is an ice storm that we had on February 2, 2002 (02-02-02, how weird is that!) Anyway, it looked as if the Ice Meister just waved his magic wand and froze everything with a layer of granular ice. It was truly breathtaking and I remember thinking that the pictures could never show how beautiful it really was!

So, now it is my turn to pass this on to four other people: They are:
M at Tales from an O.C. Cottage
Kim at Camp Whimsy
Michelle at Back Through Time
Sandyt at Just a little bit shabby

This was a lot of fun and I hope others will participate in the game.

'Til next time, Jean

Our Dusty.....

This is our dog, Dusty. He came to us as an inheritance in March. He has very quickly worked his way into our hearts. He is 3 years old and lively with lots of energy. He has an understanding of how to manipulate us to get his way. He just has to look at us with those big eyes and he is sure to melt our hearts. It is hard for me to leave him when I have to go to work. I see him sitting by the front window and he is watching me go. I always wave bye to him and he looks so sad. Now I have this poem that a friend wrote. I wanted to share it and it goes like this:

Is He Home? by Glenn Anderson

Is he home?

Grab the bone, grab the bone.

At the door, ears up, tails wag,

Wondering will the day still drag.

Feels like he's been gone a year,

Stand there and stare.

Been waiting all day,

Just want to play.

Turn knob, turn!

Been bored all day.

He knows we want to play,

So why does he go?

Frisbee in the hall,

Just throw it, throw!

He pats our head,

He rubs our belly.

He shows us love,

Even when wet and smelly.

We go for walks,

And have meaningless talks.

We love the woods where we can race,

And we love to lick his face.

But we don't like to be alone,

So please come home.

I will be retiring soon and then we can have great times together, every day, and we'll both be very happy.

'Til next time, Love ya, Jean