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Showing posts from January, 2022

The Results of My Magazine Adventure-"Cuisine At Home" the Jan/Feb 2019 Edition

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It has been several weeks since I planned my Magazine Adventure from Cuisine At Home Magazine.    I did not complete everything on my list, but I did manage to make several of the recipes.  Below you will find the list of the recipes and my thoughts on each that I tried.  I did a Recipe Review on one of the recipes, and you will see the link below the description of that recipe. Let's go through the magazine and pick several recipes... 1- Lobster Thermidor 2- Parmesan Twice Baked Potato 3- Lemon Blancmange with Raspberry Sauce 4- Mediterranean Chicken Calzones  I was really excited about this one, but it was a bust.  I gave it a 2/10 and ended up throwing most of it away.  I don't think the problem was the recipe; I think the problem was the pizza dough.  The filling was tasty, but the dough was stiff and thin.  I will not make this again. It was not pretty before baking and even less so after baking. 5- Hashbrown and egg breakfast cups . I w...

Sunday Shopping on Amazon-Gifts for Book Lovers Like Me!

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I love to read.  I have a reading chair in my bedroom and a bookshelf with lots of books just waiting to be read.  With my love for reading in mind, I thought it would be fun to do my Sunday Shopping for book lovers. (I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you buy anything on Amazon using my links, I get a percent of the sale with no added cost to you.  Thank You!) 1- Book Lovers Gifts Women - 12 oz Wine Tumbler or Mug 2- Book Lovers Metal Feather Book Mark 3- White Mountain Puzzles Readers Paradise - 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle 4- Books Into The Library Vertical Poster, Girl Love Books Vintage Wall Art, Book Lover, Book Dictionary Poster, Decor,Oil Painting-12x18inch(30x45cm)Wooden Framed   5- Sauder Barrister Lane Bookcase 6- My Book Journal: A 100-Book Reading Diary for Bibliophiles 7- Boy and Girl Bookends Studious Reading Scholar Bookrack Book End 8 inch 8- Industrial Floor Lamp, 3 Color Temperature Rustic Floor Lamps in Aged Black Finish, Adjustable Height & Head ...

Six New Release Books That Caught my Eye for February 2022

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  Here are a few books that caught my eye that are released in February 2022. Here is my YouTube version...   1-The Leviathan Mystery, Historical Fiction, Gothic by Rosie Andrews Release Date Feb 17, 2022 Good Reads gave it 4.31 stars                                                 Overview from Goodreads Site The most beguiling debut of 2022, perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent, The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock and The Binding.  She is awake... Norfolk, 1643. With civil war tearing England apart, reluctant soldier Thomas Treadwater is summoned home by his sister, who accuses a new servant of improper conduct with their widowed father. By the time Thomas returns home, his father is insensible, felled by a stroke, and their new servant is in prison, facing charges of witchcraft. Thomas prides himself on being a rational, modern man, but as he unravels the my...

Wine Wednesday-White Wine, Acidity, and Heartburn.

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Did you know that acid is one of the components of wine?  I did not realize that until I found articles on acid reflux and GERD exacerbated by wine.  No one wants to think about heartburn when enjoying a glass of wine, but sadly, this is a problem for many.   Over the last few months, I have noticed that I have mild heartburn symptoms at night after one or two glasses of wine.  I drink white wine, and according to many experts, white wine is full of acid, more so than red wine.  This leads me to do some reading to find out what to do if we have this problem. Water is considered neutral with an acid level of 7.  According to Unraveling Wine , the wine levels for wine are 3-4 on the acidity scale, with lemon juice being 2 and coffee being 5.  White wine tends to be more acidic than red, and the sweeter wines are even more so. The list of the least acidic white wines according to Unraveling Wine are... Chardonnay Gewurztraminer Grenache Blanc Fiano Marsan...

Recipe Review-Hash Brown and Egg Breakfast Cups from Cuisine At Home Magazine

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 I love to try new recipes.  I have recently started a new series called Magazine Adventures.  My latest Magazine Adventure I called Cuisine at Home the Jan/Feb 2019 Edition.   My goal with these adventures is to try new recipes and hopefully find one to add to my family cookbook.  So far, I have made several of the recipes in this magazine, but the one I want to add to my cookbook thus far is called "Hash Brown and Egg Breakfast Cups." This straightforward recipe would be great to make for breakfast or a nice snack.  This can be served hot from the oven or warmed up later.  I gave this recipe an 8/10 on my recipe scale.  It was very good. Happy Cooking and Baking, Everyone! KathieyV

Sunday Shopping on Amazon-Having Fun on a Snow Day!

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A snow day in North Carolina is a rare and wonderful day.  We long for it and wait for it but if it happens are we prepared?  This week I found myself unprepared for the snow day that developed. There were so many things I wish we would have had.   We all went to my daughter's and played in the snow and sat around her firepit and it was wonderful.   Here are a few things that I found on Amazon that I would love to have on a snow day.   The one item that you don't need snow for is the faux snowballs, they would be fun on any day:-). I also added a frame to capture the moments of the fun forever. (I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you buy anything on Amazon using my links, I get a percent of the sale with no added cost to you.  Thank You!) 1- Gizmo Riders Baby Rider Toddler Sled- Pull Snow Sleigh for Babies and Infants with Tow Strap  and     3-Point Safety Harness, Holds 55lbs, Ages 6 Months and Up 2- Yukon Hammerhead Pro HD Steerable Snow Sl...

Bookstore Adventures-Discovering Bookstores

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I love books.  Since I love books, it makes perfect sense that I would adore bookstores.   With this in mind, I thought it was high time I became familiar with the bookstores in my area and the bookstores I find in places where I may travel. My plan is to search in my area for local bookstores and then go a bit outside of local and see what I can find.  I hope to visit a bookstore each month and post my experience.   I will visit new bookstores and used bookstores and hopefully find some unique ones along the way.  I may hit a few libraries too. Before I start this grand adventure, I will look for a few unique bookstores that I would love to visit.  I will provide links and a brief description so you can look them up if you are curious. 1- Baldwin's Book Barn - "The Book Barn was built in 1822 and is a five-story building which exudes bookish charm with its cozy nooks, stone walls, friendly atmosphere, wood-burning stove, and shelf upon shelf of books, maps...

Removing a Cork From a Wine Bottle-The Saber/Sword Technique

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 What are some odd ways to remove the cork from a wine bottle?  I recently did a post on this very thing, " 5 Ways to Open a Wine Bottle Without a Corkscrew ".  I did omit the "Sabrage" technique because I knew it could be dangerous, at least for me.  What is that, you ask?  The Sabrage technique is a way to open a champagne bottle using a saber or a sword. History-From my reading, it seems that the history of wine sabering is disputed.  The basic conclusion is that it began in France in the early 1800s during the Napoleonic Wars.  The soldiers would celebrate their victories with champagne.  The easiest way for them to open the bottle was with what they had handy: their swords/sabers.  I recently went to a wine class.  In this particular class, they were discussing champagne.  Before we did the tasting a very nice man took the stage with his bottle of champagne and a sword.  He proceeded to show us how to "Sabrage" a bottle of...

Journal Prompt-What Are You Completely Honest About?

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 I do not lie easily.  If I try to tell an untruth, I quickly give myself away with a facial expression or some strange body language.  Not that I have not lied in the past, I am sure that I have, but I can't recall the event because it is a rarity in my life. Is it a lie when you don't share the complete truth to avoid drama or hurting someone? I don't think so because you are not really lying, but you are just holding back some information. I know I have done that. There is one thing that I will never lie about.  I will give you the unabridged truth if you ask me about my divorce.   Ask me anything about it  and I will tell you.  I don't usually bring the subject up, but if asked a direct question, I will answer that question and probably share more than what was asked of me.   I don't believe in protecting someone, that has caused pain in many lives, by hiding the facts.  I know I am not privy to all that was hidden from me.  I wish s...

Sunday Amazon Shopping-Nine Must Haves For A Cold Winter Day

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 What should you wear on a frigid day in Utah?  That is the question I am pondering right now. The family has talked about going to Utah for my Son-In-Laws birthday.  We would not be going in the warm summer months but in the bitter cold of winter.  Josh loves to ski.  He did visit Park City years ago for a ski trip, and he fell in love with it.  Me on the other hand, I do not ski.  I like the cold but not extreme cold, but I do like the cold we get in the winters in North Carolina.   Here is what I found online regarding what to wear in Utah in the winter  "To stay safe, pack a heavy coat, a hat, gloves, thick socks, and sweaters. The Utah Department of Health recommends dressing in three layers, with non-absorbent thermal underwear and a heavy second layer of something like polar fleece. " I went to Amazon to check out some "Must-Haves For a Cold Winter Day" with these safety measures in mind. I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you buy anyt...

Five Book Reading Wrap-Up for December 2021

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                        Join me for my five-book reading wrap-up!                                                  Dec 2021 Here is my Youtube Video (There is an Amazon link to each book.  If you are interested in more information, click on the link.  I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you click on the link and buy anything at all, I get a percent of the sale at no cost to you...thanks:-) ********************************************************************************* Book 1  "Educated" by Tara Westover Non-Fiction, Memoir, Biography Good Reads Rating is 4.46 My Rating is 5/5 stars                                                (click photo below to go to Amazon) Overview...