Up on the playlist for today is The Neighborhood’s Sweater Weather. It’s got a kinda cool sound- all easy and loose. The perfect song to chase away the cold and bring in the warm. After all, it is sweater weather. 😉
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Author Archives: D.R. Slaten
Chinese New Year 2014
By: Tim Ellis
The Chinese New Year is on January 31st this year. It’s the year of the Horse. Chinese astrology is kinda fun to look up and read about. It is vastly older than most Western astrological systems.
In honor of the Chinese New Year (yes, other Asian countries also celebrate this New Year even though it’s called the Chinese one. lol), I thought I’d share a fortune cookie recipe. Red is the lucky color so make the little fortunes inside red ink on white paper or red paper with a dark or metallic ink.
Enjoy!
Fortune Cookie
3 egg whites
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper. Have fortunes ready to go on small strips of paper.
- In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites and sugar on high speed of an electric mixer until frothy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and stir in melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, water and flour one at a time, mixing well after each. Consistency should resemble pancake batter. Spoon the batter into 3 inch circles on the prepared baking sheets. Leave room between for spreading.
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges begin to brown slightly. Quickly remove one at a time, place a message in the center, and fold in half. Fold the ends of the half together into a horse shoe shape. If they spring open, place them in a muffin tin to cool until set.
* try lemon extract instead of vanilla or a different taste.
** don’t overbake the cookies or they won’t be flexible enough to mold.
*** they are also good dipped in chocolate.
Random Thoughts
I always thought New Year’s resolutions were completely stupid. Not a little dumb, or even a small amount of not-so-bright. But out and out moronic.
Needless to say, I’ve had a change of heart. Yes, I still think resolutions are an arbitrary goal set on a fake date to accomplish something, or at least feel like we accomplished something. However, if all of us set goals that are way out of our comfort range and maybe a bit into the stars, AND even if we fall short of the high mark we set for ourselves, we have still done something. Which is probably more than we would’ve done without setting that arbitrary goal on a fake day. So set a goal that’s way out of reach. Have fun trying to make it. And even if you don’t hit the finish line, know that you’ve gotten a lot further than many, many… many others. 😉
Music Monday- Counting Stars
by OneRepublic is the featured song for this Music Monday. You know, cause everything that kills me makes me feel alive. 😉
Happy New Year 2014
Another year. The ending of one and the beginning of the next.
Looking back… it’s been a good year. For my writing. For my personal life. 2013 is the year I decided to stop thinking about being a published writer and instead took steps to make that happen.
After my mom died, I realized that there’s no time like now. Sometimes, there are no tomorrows. Instead, today is the day. So I took a deep breath and took the leap. My second career dream was realized this past year. I’ve been lucky that way. My first career choice was awesome. Fabulous, really. It was just time to do something else. Writing was that something else.
Looking forward, I still have some milestones I want to reach. There are several goals that I hope to meet in the coming year. As spectacular as 2013 had been, I have a feeling that 2014 is going to be even better. At least, it will be for me.
My hope is that it will be a great year for all of you as well. Don’t let anything stop you from being and doing and becoming. You got 12 months in the next year. Start small and end LARGE.
Happy New Year, y’all! 🙂
Manday
By: Enrique Lin
And the devil wears blue jeans. But seriously, is there anything hotter than a guy in no shirt with faded jeans on? Not that I can think of at the moment. lol
Maple Glazed Walnuts
Maple Glazed Nuts
By: psgreen01
6 cups Walnuts
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brandy
1-1/4 cup maple syrup
1tbsp cinnamon
3 tsp salt- course sea salt is best
1/2 cup maple sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake walnuts on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, salt and maple sugar. Set aside
3. In a deep skillet, combine butter, brandy and maple syrup. Cook until reduced by half. Add in walnuts and cook until almost all the liquid is absorbed.
4. Turn off heat and take skillet off stove. Add cinnamon mixture until evenly coated. Spread out on cookie and let cool.
YUM. Enjoy!
Merry Christmas
I hate Christmas. I didn’t used to. I used to love it. But it’s become something crazy, something not right and something that is a little scary. It’s like the whole country is waiting with bated breath to see if the rest of us are willing to go into debt to ensure loved ones gets shit they don’t need or want or even asked for. Stupid.
Back in the day, my little nuclear family would travel to visit my extended family. And that’s what Christmas was about– getting together with family and friends and visiting with loved ones. Now, not so much. And it sucks.
It sucks so bad, I hate Christmas now. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday currently because it’s still about family and friends and getting together.
If Christmas didn’t suck so much, here’s what I’d wish for. I wish that each and every one of you reading this is healthy and safe. I wish that the world is kind to you. That you are loved as fiercely as you love. I hope that you have family and friends to share the good, the bad and the ugly. I wish each and every one of you peace and happiness.
Eat a piece of pie or cake for me. That’s the best gift I could be given. Sharing food and good times. Being thought of and thought of well. Of loving and being loved.
I wish you JOY!
Music Monday: Wizards in Winter
Trans-Siberian Orchestra did the video to this synchronizing 75,000 lights to this song. Couldn’t think of a better musical tribute for bringing in the week of Christmas with this special music.
Enjoy!
Music Monday: Santa Baby
Not your usual Santa Baby. This one is performed by Run DMC featuring Mase, Diddy, Salt & Peppa, Snoop Dog and many others. A little something different for the holidays. They changed up some of the words. lol I heard this for the first time on one of the Very Special Christmas CDs. Loved it. Wanted to share.
Enjoy!
