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Nourishing Body and Soul

~ Thoughts on the many things that shape my life

Nourishing Body and Soul

Monthly Archives: December 2007

Christmas Eve Tamales

31 Monday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Cooking, Family

≈ 2 Comments

family tamalesOur family has no long standing food traditions for the Christmas holidays-our meals have included everything from turkey to tenderloin to spaghetti to pizza.  But the tradition of making and enjoying tamales on Christmas Eve keeps popping up, and since we are getting better and better at it, I think this one might stick for awhile.

Everyone joins in on the fun-

tamale making

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Post Christmas Open House Cooking

31 Monday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Cooking, Family, Friends

≈ Leave a comment

I love cooking when I have the time and when I have the right inspiration to cook…I’ve gone through many cooking seasons and at least for the time being my days of setting my alarm to keep a new type of bread right on track at 2 am or spending several days making croissants and danishes from scratch are long gone.  These are the days of gourmet in 30 minutes or quick-invent something that everyone will like from the leftovers or make gobs and gobs of food for a party in one day or less.

 Hosting an open house with my sister Erin gave me the chance to cook up a storm.  One little thing about me and cooking is that I can not, never have and probably never will, cook in small quantities.  It kills me.  I have to make more.  I can’t dream of someone not getting enough or of -horrors- of a platter being empty before the party is over.  So what started out small, grew and grew and wonder of wonders-we had plenty of food.  (I panic every single time I host a party…I think it is genetic.  My mom laughs at me when she is not the one responsible, but ha, when she is the hostess, she does the exact same thing.)

So if you need to quick a bunch in a hurry I heartily recommend-

Jalapeno Bacon Thingies from thepioneerwoman.com

Olive Cheese Bread from the Pioneer Woman.com

I also made some great new spreads, and they are winners because they are different and made in the food processor!

Fresh Herb and Walnut Dip

4 oz. cream cheese

3 oz.  feta cheese

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

2 large basil leaves

2 large mint leaves

2 parsley sprigs

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Throw all of this in the FP, blend and serve with celery and apples.

Greek Cheese Spread with Roasted Red Peppers

1/2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese

3 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup feta

1 Tbs olive oil

lemon juice to taste (1/2 -1 lemon)

2 garlic cloves

2 chopped green onions

2 parsley sprigs

3/4 cup roasted red bell peppers

Toss everything in the FP, blend and serve with veggies and pita wedges.

The 888 Reading Challenge

27 Thursday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in 888 Books, Book Discussion, Random Book Notes

≈ 12 Comments

Stumbling upon this reading challenge was just what I needed!  I have been thinking lately that my reading over the last year was so disappointingly hit-and-miss…I read some wonderful books and then there were all the ho-hum books that I read just because they were there and easy to get.  I knew I needed a plan.  Then voila!  I came upon the 888 reading challenge.  (The short explanation is 8 categories of 8 books each with 8 books overlapping for a total of 56 books.) Who wants to join the fun?!?

 Here is my list as it stands now.

8 History Books

1.        Mistress of the Elgin Marbles

2.       Walk Through the Bible

3.       A Short History of Nearly Everything

4.       The Odyssey **

5.       Cat of Bubastes **

6.        Desire of the Everlasting Hills

7.        The Gifts of the Jews

8.         

8 Novels

1.       Washington Square

2.       Persuasion

3.       Cry, the Beloved Country

4.        Lake Wobegon Days

5.       Love in a Time of Cholera

6.        The Silence

7.        Middlemarch

8.           

8 Mysteries

1.        Maisie Dobbs

2.       Murder on the Orient Express

3.       Father Brown

4.       The Name of the Rose

5.         

6.         

7.         

8.         

8 School Related

1.        Cat of Bubastes **

2.       Voyage of the Dawn Treader

3.       As You Like It

4.       Till We Have Faces

5.       The Odyssey **

6.       The Tempest

7.         

8.         

8 Non-Fiction

1.        Shakespeare, by Bryson

2.       Summer at Tiffany

3.       Reading Like a Writer

4.       Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog

5.       Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

6.       How to Read a Book

7.        Small is Beautiful

8.        Conflict of Visions

8 Food Books

1.        The Perfectionist, Life and Death in Haute Cuisine

2.       The 64 Dollar Tomato

3.       Blithe Tomato

4.       My Life in France

5.       Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

6.       Dining Out on Adventure

7.         

8.         

8 Book Club Books

1.       The Future and its Enemies

2.       Stop Dating the Church

3.        

 4.         

5.         

6.         

7.          

8.         

8 Religious Books

1.       Screwtape Letters

2.       The Cost of Discipleship

3.       Orthodoxy

4.       Mere Christianity

5.        Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance

6.        Steering Through Chaos

7.        For the Life of the World

8.          

Quick and Easy Christmas Treat, part 2: Mini S’mores Kits

21 Friday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Friends, School

≈ 2 Comments

Always on the look out for little gifts that are inexpensive, quick and fun, I was so pleased to find this idea:

A Mini S’mores Kit

Place these items together in a fun Christmas gift bag and voila!  S’mores Kits!

Fill a small Ziploc bag with a handful of mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips.

Add a snack sized bag of mini grahams

Toss in a tea light and a couple of cocktail picks

And then your happy recipients can enjoy! roasting mini marshmallows  mini smores assembled

Never Give Up, Never Give In

20 Thursday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Family

≈ 1 Comment

fire hats
My brother David graduated from the MPC Fire Academy last night.  I am one proud sister, seeing him become a man dedicated to doing a job well and giving it his all.  Fire-fighting is clearly a passion of David’s and it was wonderful to see his graduation after many, many hours of work and study.
  
One fun part of the graduation was watching the student video.  I have a slight tendency towards claustrophobia and watching the various maneuvers-climbing in small spaces, crawling under masses of wires, being lowered into a hole in the roof-so even seeing the video made me queasy and nervous.  I have profound respect for the brave people who dedicate their lives to saving people in this manner.  And I am profoundly proud that my brother is joining the ranks of these brave individuals. 
dave and parents
family

Homeschool Video

18 Tuesday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

(and my brother just got a cup stacking set for his birthday…)
🙂

Vodpod videos no longer available. from www.doublesharpevide posted with vodpod

Mercury in Your Earth Friendly CFL Bulbs

18 Tuesday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Thoughts Not Worth Categorizing

≈ 1 Comment

Did you know that the engery saving CFL bulbs contain mercury?  You need to take special precautions if one breaks so check this out for more info.  Be sure you don’t put these bulbs into a lamp that can be knocked over!

A Post Just for Krista

18 Tuesday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Family, Thoughts Not Worth Categorizing

≈ 1 Comment

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black?!?  🙂  I had a couple of awesome, memorable, witty entries in my mind, but the internet connection was s—l—-o—-w, and I had no patience for it.  Now all of those great ideas have vanished and I’ll have to see what else I can come up with…

Quick and Easy Christmas Treat

12 Wednesday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Cooking, School

≈ 2 Comments

I just made a couple dozen of these for some students-

Christmas Reindeer

Lay miny pretzels out on a baking sheet

Top each pretzel with a Hershey’s kiss

Melt in a low oven (about 250 degrees) for about 5 minutes or so…

They should be soft but not melted over everything.

Pull them out of the oven and top each reindeer with an M&M.  Voila-you have yummy Christmas treats!

(at any other time of the year they could also look like Mickey Mouse…)

First Annual CFT Auction

12 Wednesday Dec 2007

Posted by leahl in Family, Friends, School

≈ 1 Comment

What a success this was!  I am still so excited about the great responses with both donations and shoppers.  I am so blessed to have so many wonderful people around me-especially my family.  The family really, really came through for me on this event!  My dad was the master of ceremonies (and many people saw a side of him that they had never seen before), my brother donate a number of key, key items, my sister in law is an awesome gift basket maker, my sister made beautiful flower arrangements and gathered a lot of donations, my other sister got us some more donations, my mom came through with all the last minute stuff and was a great sounding board the whole time…my family is great!

 And to top it all off, I also have some truly wonderful friends as well.  🙂  All in all, the auction turned out very well and I think that next year’s will be even better. 

Thanks all!

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