Pocketful of Memory Cards

Hubby and I have been sharing a rotten cold for more than a week now.  My brain has been so muddled that until this morning, I'd forgotten all about the comfort drink that has become a staple of cold soothing in our family.  I call it "The Recipe" in memory of the Baldwin Sisters of Walton's Mountain fame.  You may recall they were always offering samples of " Papa's Recipe " to anyone who might need a little lift.  It was used for medicinal purposes only of course, but I think the sisters dipped into it on a daily basis.   My recipe is very simple, and moonshine free.  Fill a mug with a cup of boiling, water half a cube of McCormicks Chicken Flavoured Vegetable Bouillon, 1/4 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger (the pre-grated stuff from a jar will work also) and the juice of one lemon wedge. I wish I could say The Recipe has the power to cure your cold, but alas, it cannot. There is something about sitting in a comfy chair and sipping the warm fl...

I have created an internet inspired salad to go with our dinner this evening.  I copied a Pinterest photo to make what was called Deconstructed Guacamole Salad.  And thanks to Urban Harvest , it's all organic!

When I decided to re-organize my spices, I discovered I had already started without knowing it.  My marash pepper and my star anise were in 125 ml mason jars and I found the wide openings quite handy.  When the idea to paint the lids with blackboard paint turned up on Pinterest , I knew I'd found the perfect plan. I added the link to my board titled "Things I'd love to make but probably won't".  Looks like I was wrong! The first step was to head to our local Michael's store which I did with a bit of trepidation.  One person had told me they spent $24 on a small container of blackboard paint and I was trying to keep the cost down.  The only blackboard paint they had was spray paint, which seemed like a great way to paint my lids and it cost a mere $12.99.  I had eight jars left from the peach marmalade I made last year but I needed a couple of dozen all together.  I headed to Superstore for more but discovered that mason jars are a seasonal ...

Today on Gratitude Monday, I am thankful for so many blessings; for health and family and friends, and I'm thinking about all the terrific things the internet has brought into my life.  Today  I'm grateful: 118.  for  Blogspot  that allows me to share my photos and express myself to friends and strangers around the world.  It's amazing to see I have hits from far away countries like Russia, Brazil, Japan, South Africa, Chilli, Malaysia, Latvia, Australia, Columbia, and Germany to name a few. 119.  also for how blogspot has connected me with some creative and inspirational people like Lilly at Feellovdeveryday and momof8  and all those cooking blogs! 120.  for Facebook for reuniting me with Lea. 121.  for  Kijiji  that helped us find Pitou down in OK Falls and Max just a few blocks away from our house. 122.  for Pinterest that lets me see the bigger picture.  I go on the computer with a purpose. ...

Over the past 30 or so years of cooking for myself, I've collected quite a mess of spices and spice jars.  Today I picked up some dill and paprika from Abby's Spice and Tea Store and when I got home I was frustrated by how difficult it was to find the jar I was looking for.  Quite frankly, I was embarrassed by the sloppy collection I've amassed.  It's a shameful way for a Virgo to behave.   Of course this is tongue in cheek, but I am in home organization mode these days, so it's the perfect time to do some culling, while trying to come up with a thrifty and creative way to make my spices accessible and fresh.  Thanks to Pinterest I have a few different ideas bobbing around in my brain.  Think of these as the before shots and I'll look forward to sharing my results with you.