Awww Monday and Merry Christmas to all!

Have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Awww Monday! December 26, 2022

Just one of our many beautiful and fun nieces!

Perhaps she will be an architect? 

Designing and building nouveau chateaux!!!

Thanks Sandee for Awww Mondays!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

~~~~

Happy Tuesday! December 13, 2022

Only 14 days and counting down

before Santa arrives!!

Cheers!

~~~~~

Awww Monday! December 12. 2022

Happy Holidays!!!!!

~~~~~

 

Feline Friday and Friendly Fill-ins December 24, 2021

It is hard to tell who is having more fun...

Lucy or the Bear!!!!

I think Lucy is having more fun...what do you think?

Happy Feline Friday!

Thanks Sandee!

~~~~

Friendly Fill-ins are brought to us by Ellen and Lorianne!

Here are my fill-ins:

 1. A healthy and peaceful world is my Christmas wish for you.

2. I still need to buy some stocking stuffers by Christmas. 

 3. ‘Twas the night before Christmas and we were still up reading our books.

4. If I were Santa, I would want someone to leave me a plate full of Grandmas' steamed fruit and nut pudding on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Happy Tuesday! December 21, 2021

 

Have a very Merry Day!

And a Happy Winter Solstice!

~~~~

Merry Christmas and Feline Friday! December 25, 2020

I wrote the poem below many years ago.

Enjoy!

 Today is much simpler

With only stockings to fill

But I miss the childish chuckles

In the early morning still

Of sweet children opening gifts

Of toys so wanted and admired

Whispered softly in Santa's ear

What those little hearts desired

And in that early morning

As parents yawn and smile

They watch their lovely children

Past remembrances beguile

Another lovely Vancouver kitty!

Merry Merry Christmas! 

Lots of good wishes and hugs!

Thanks Sandee!

~~~*~~~

Merry Christmas It's Awww Monday! December 25,2017

 

 

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Have a lovely day!

~~~~

and Lucy says "Thank you meowy much 

 Sandee for Awww Monday!"

 

 

 

And this is for Sparks!!!

 

 

 

Feline Friday December 15, 2017

I think Christmas is sneaking up on us!

~~~~

Big thanks and lotsa hugs to Sandee for 

keeping Feline Friday going along with Awww Monday!

I am too late to link up this week as

I had a horrendous flu/cold and after 3 days

I am finally opening up my lap top....

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

And Happy NewYear! 

AWWW MONDAY!!! December 26, 2016

 

 

I love this time of year!

 

Have a great week!

~~~~~

...and thanks to Sandee for Awww Mondays!

 

Merry Christmas ....and It's Feline Friday!

• ★ Merry ★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★ Christmas 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚｜ 田田 ｜門｜ ˚And a Happy New Year
* Joy to all! ♫•*¨* Peace on Earth ♪♫•*¨*

 



Grace and Kathe with Mr Cat, Mighty Mouth and Larry

Christmas 1990

 

Grace and I had these photos taken

for Russell's Christmas present!

It was a three ring circus getting these

three cats to smile and say cheese! 

 

Grace with Larry

Christmas 1990

 

We have always loved cats- yes indeed!

Have a lovely day today- and don't

forget to wish Steve of BFDude a very

Merry Christmas since he started

Feline Friday to prove he loves cats!

~~~~

Awww Monday December 23, 2013

JUST THE TWO OF US  

ZIHUATANEJO MEXICO  NOVEMBER 2012

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

HAPPY HANUKKAH !

HAPPY DAYS !

AND 

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

~~~~~~~

INSTEAD OF CUTIE PIE ANIMALS FOR AWWW MONDAY

I AM BRANCHING OUT TO WISH ALL MY FELLOW

BLOGGERS A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON-

ENJOY YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO SEE MORE!!!

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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list...

It's a bird-it's a plane? Nope.....

It's Super Cat Lucy!!!

She loves to sleep by the fire and then

do her yoga excercises- today she

looked like a Super Cat to me!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

XYZ-last of the ABC recipes

XYZ is for...... Christmas recipes, Yams  and Zest!

Above is the Olive Bread that Grace made.

It was very tasty! Thanks Grace!

This year I am trying out a variety of new recipes-

some are vegan and some vegetarian. We aren't

vegetarians per se, but we have found that the older

we get the less meat we eat the better we feel.

I am also including the revised Steamed Carrot Pudding

from my maternal Grandmother. No longer does it have

suet in it (yuck) -but just a bit of butter in place. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Quinoa Pilaf with Dried Cranberries

and Toasted Almonds

serves 3-4

1 T olive oil

4 scallions white and green parts separated

and thinly sliced

1 cup Quinoa rinsed and drained

2 cups low sodium veggie broth

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 tsp salt or to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds

In medium nonstick skillet with a lid,

heat the oil over med heat. Add white parts

of onion and cook, stirring constantly for 1 min.

Add Quinoa and cook, stirring constantly

for 2 min until dry. Carefully add the broth,

cranberries, salt and pepper; bring to a boil

over high heat. Reduce heat to med low, cover

and simmer for about 20 min til liquid is asorbed.

Remove from heat, stir in almonds and reserved onion.

Cover and let stand for 5 min. Uncover and stir/toss

well to mix ingredients. Serve warm.

~~~~~~~~~~

Brown Rice and Lentils

serves 4-6

3 1/2 cups low sodium veggie broth

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup lentils rinsed and picked over

3/4 cup brown rice

2 T olive oil

1T onion powder

( I am using 1/4 finely chopped onion)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

(I am using 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic)

1/4 tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

In a medium pot bring all ingredients to a boil

over high heat. Reduce heat to med-low to low,

cover and simmer until rice/lentils are tender.

Stirring occasionally about 45 minutes.

~~~~~~~~~

Fiery Sweet Potatoes(Yams)

10-12 servings

Time about 2 hours

5 pounds sweet potatoes/yams

1 cup coconut milk

1T Thai red curry paste

1/2 c dark brown sugar

4 T unsalted butter

1 t salt

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Bake potatoes on a baking sheet

until very soft-about 1 hour. When cool enough to

handle, peel and mash.

2. Heat coconut milk with curry paste over low heat.

Mix coconut mixture, 1/2 the sugar, 1/2 the butter

and all the salt into the potatoes. Keep warm until

ready to serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

3. At least 30 min before serving, 

heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Put potatoes into baking dish, 

cover with foil and bake for 20 min.

Uncover potatoes, dot with remaing butter and sugar and

broil until brown and crusty on top, checking often so

they do not burn!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~

Stuffed Winter Squash with Long Grain

and Wild Rice, Pecans and Cranberries

makes 4 main-dish servings

(or you can cut squash in 1/4's for 8 side sevings)

2 medium Delicata or Acorn squash- 1 1/2 pounds each

halved,seeds and membrane removed

1 T olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 T dry sherry

1 large garlic clove chopped

2 1/3 cup low sodium veggie broth

1 6oz package long-grain white and wild rice (3/4 cup)

(do not use seasoning packet)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup nuts* or sunflower seeds**

(*pecans,walnuts or slivered almonds)

(**use toasted sunflower seeds if some are allergic to nuts)

2 T chopped fresh Sage

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425F (220c)

cut a small slice on bottom of squash halves

to keep from wobbling. Place squash cut sides down

in a shallow dish just big enough to hold all

in a single layer. Add about 1/2 inch of water, cover

and bake for about 30-45 min til fork tender. Remove

from oven, pour off water and turn cut sides up. Set aside.

Reduce oven temp to 350F (175c)

While squash is baking heat oil over med heat in medium

sauce pan. Add onion and cook stirring til soft about 3 min,

 add sherry and garlic-increase heat to high-cook stirring constantly til sherry has evaporated about 1 min. 

Add the broth, rice mixture, cranberries,pecans

(sunflower seeds if allergic to nuts), 

sage,salt and pepper. 

Reduce heat to med-low to low and cover simmering

for appx 25-30 minutes. The rice shoould be moist not dry.

Remove, let stand overed 5 min. Uncover, fluff with fork.

At this point everything can be cooled

 and refrigerated up to 24 hours before

 continuing recipe. Do add 10 minutes or so

to final baking time. 

Mound equal amounts of rice into squash halves, bake uncovered until heated through appx 10 minutes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grandmothers Steamed Carrot Pudding

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 T cinnamon

1/2 t each ground cloves and nutmeg

2 t soda

2 t salt

2 cups dark brown sugar

2 T melted butter

2 cups grated potatoes

2 cps grated carrots

2 cups chopped raisins or 1 cup each dates and raisins

1/2 cup hot water

Mis all dry ingredients in large bowl. Either hand grate or use

food processor for grating potatoes and carrots.

Chop raisins ( and I buy pre-chopped dates)and mix with

grated carrots and potatoes. Mix dry and wet ingredients together add hot water and melted butter 

and mix thoroughly. Put in well greased mold, 

cover with foil if it doesn't have a cover

and steam for 3 hours.*** see below for steaming

Serve with:

Hard Sauce 

1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

( You don't have a mold? 

Use large 28 oz cans in place of a mold)

Leave at least 1 inch at top of mold to allow for rising.

***Place steamer rack in large pot. Place pudding mold on rack. If you don't have a rack place several canning rings to cover bottom of the pan. Fill pot with enough water to come halfway up sides of mold. Bring water to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cover pot and steam pudding until tester inserted near center comes out clean, adding more boiling water as needed to maintain level, about 3 hours. Using oven mitts as aid, remove mold from pot. Uncover and let stand 10 minutes. Cut around top center and sides of pudding to loosen. Turn pudding out onto rack and cool 20 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead.) Cool completely. Return to mold; cover and chill. 

Resteam 45 minutes to heat through, then turn out of mold.) Transfer pudding to platter. Cut pudding into wedges; serve with the Hard sauce.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ps: So, now you are asking- where's the Zest? 

Hah- the zest is in how you approach your life and your cooking... I'll take the zesty

approach to life and food. Spice it up! Happy New Year!

Read more:
 http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gingerbread-Christmas-Pudding-with-Orange-Hard-Sauce-106022#ixzz18xemyL2v

Just Do It!

Yeah...I'm sick of saying Happy Holidays!

...so far the Political Correctness Police

haven't messed with Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas? Ha Ha Ha Ho Ho Ho

My toes know it's almost Christmas..............















My goodness Grandma what big teeth you have!
(those are actually bear teeth...not a doggie there
on the floor)





















Russell posing at Froelick Gallery's Holiday Party















Here's a photo of our backyard
taken during Christmas 2008
when it snowed so much no one
could get any where and I called
it the "Home Alone Christmas"
and below is a hilarious take on
Christmas by Steve Martin.
I totally stole this idea from
a fellow blogger and here is her link:


http://thingy-thingy-ponderinglife.blogspot.com/

She has a great blog-read it-it's witty, sharp, acidic and irreverant-I love it!