Friday, December 30, 2011

Scottish New Years Meal -- Steak Pie-- Yumm!! #HappyHogmanay!! #GroceryDelivery! #Chocolates! #Yum! #PuffPastry





Scottish Steak Pie (It's Meat, it's a Pie, it's Delicious!)

This is my own version of the Traditional Scottish Steak Pie, the meal Scottish people have at Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year, but you can enjoy this delicious and healthy meat pie any time of year : ) In the Traditional Steak Pie (Steak and Kidney Pie), it's full of Steak and Kidneys, which I do not like -- not at all! But I love, love, love Steak Pie, so I adapted it to a more 'North American' taste.

Ingredients:
1 Pound Beef Cubes or Steak (Any nice piece of meat that a good price - it'll all be delicious - a roast, large steaks, Round Steak ... anything)

1 Pound Sausage (I like large English Sausage or Mild Italian Sausage)(I buy the Big Pack - surprise!)

Onion Soup Mix (1 to 2 Packages or 6 Tablespoons of the Onion Soup Mix from the Bulk Package -- from Costco!).... Go easy on the Onion Soup Mix - it can be pretty salty... maybe start with One package, you might add in half of the second package, if you have a lot of meat to cook : )

1 Package of Sliced Mushrooms (If Whole, just Quarter the Mushrooms)

1 Tablespoon Montreal Steak Spice (or Whatever Steak Spice you use -- 1 tsp if it's too salty)

4 Cups of Water

Bisto, Flour or Corn Starch for the Gravy.

Puff Pastry (Just buy the Package at your Local Grocers in the Frozen Pastry Section -- usually over by the Frozen Fruit.)

1 Egg (optional)(Brush it on the Pastry, make it all nice and Golden : )

Salt

Directions:
I use a Large Electric Wok to make the Meat, since it's huge and holds a nice steady heat. I've made it in a Crock Pot, before (pop the meat in before you go out to work...). You can use a Big Skillet, too.
Brown the Sausages. Remove from the Pan and slice. (If you have a George Foreman Grill, or the like, that's even better to remove the ft from the sausages... then brown the steak right after the sausages are done. Mnnn, lovely!)
In the same pan, brown the Meat.
Toss the Mushrooms in on top of the Meat. Cover and simmer a wee bit. (about 5-10 minutes)
Add the Sliced Sausages
Add the Water. Stir in the Onion Soup mix and the Spices.
Turn the Heat down to Simmer.
Cover and leave it for hours and hours. Literally. The longer this cooks, the tastier it is, so if you put it on in the mornign, the steak will be sooo tender by the evening. Yum. (Do I sound hungry??)







When the Steak is cooked nicely (it'll shred easily), remove all fat from the meat and pull apart with a fork. It's easy if you just remove it onto a separate plate. Return Shredded Steak If you have a wee dog, they will love you even more if you share a wee bit with them!

Using a Slotted Spoon, remove all the Meat and Mushrooms from the Pan and place in a Deep Pie Dish. I usually double the batch so I can make enough for Two Big Steak Pies, since that'll make it much easier the next time we have it -- I just put the extra Meat in another Pie Dish and freeze it -- no Pastry on the Frozen Pie.




Make the Gravy. The easiest way to make a nice smooth Gravy is to put a Couple of Tablespoons of Corn Stach and a pinch of Salt into a Tea Cup. Stir the Corn Starch and Salt to make it smooth. Then add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of the Liquid (see in the picture?) to the Tea Cup. Stir into the Corn Starch until completely smooth. Add in a bit more at a time until you have about a half-cup of the 'Pre-Gravy' mix. Turn the heat up on the Liquid, then quickly stir in the 'Pre-Gravy' mix. The Gravy will thicken up and be delicious in no time. (Seconds, really...)
Pour the Gravy over the Meat in the Pie Dish.






Puff Pastry: Oh, I love Puff Pastry! Follow the Package Instructions and take it out of the Freezer well in advance. Remove one 'Square' of the Pastry and roll it out on some Parchment Paper (if you have it) with lots of Flour on the Rolling Surface so it won't stick. Put plenty of flour on the rolling pin, too. Roll it to fit the Pie Plate -- about 1/8th of an inch thick.
Place the Pastry on top of the Meat, and trim around the edges. Make little 'slot marks' in the center of the Steak Pie with a sharp knife. If you're feeling creative, shape the extra pieces of Pastry into Leaves and 'glue them' onto the Pie Crust with a wee bit of Egg.

Beat One Egg. Using a Pastry Brush, very lightly 'paint' the egg on the Pastry. (If you are allergic to Eggs, just skip this part and use milk.) Sprinkle a wee bit of Salt on the Pastry with a normal Salt Shaker.

Pop in the Oven for about 45 minutes, to cook the Puff Pastry. Check back at 20 minutes to see how it's doing, and to turn the Pie if you need to. The Finished Steak Pie should be a lovely Golden Brown.
Serve with Mashed Potatoes and Peas. (That's the Traditional Meal -- usually served at Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year.) I make it year-round, because it's delicious and everybody loves it. And now that I've just written all about it, I'm desperate for a wee bit of it, now, so I think I'll make it this week!
I must have some photos of the finished Product, so I'll go through my old Photos to see where it is!
Happy Eating! Ailsa!

Look who's tried this Recipe:
Hi, Ailsa. I found your web site when looking for a recipe for Steak Pie. My husband loves to get it when we go to a little pub in Napanee. There it is Steak and Kidney, but like yourself, I am not a fan of Kidney. I tried your recipe today-I was afraid of the Puff pastry, as I had never used it before, but it all turned out very well, and my husband loved it.
Where were you born in Scotland? I am origionally from Dundee, but have been in Canada for 40 years.
I don't know where you get the time for all the STUFF for your web site. It is fun reading it.
Best Wishes ...........Helen

Hello, Helen! That's one of my favorite names! Oh, I love Napanee -- so pretty. I think I know the Pub... is it on the Main Street? I'm glad you liked the Steak Pie -- delicious, isn't it? Did you happen to make Apple or Cherry Turnovers with the extra Puff Pastry? I always do that, and everyone loves them. Good for your Figure, too, as far as I'm willing to understand how Puff Pastry fits into a Diet! ha,ha!
I was born in Glasgow, Scotland (Cumbernauld), and we all moved to Canada when I was 2 and a half, so I've been here for 40 years, too. Except for a few lucky years in my Twenties when I got to live in California... We have many friends from Dundee, so I have to assume that you have a great sense of humour, since I think that's a given if you're from Dundee or the surrounding area, am I right??
I love that you found my little website -- well, not so wee, anymore! I started it with a baby on my lap, and now he's in Grade One (and Cara was in Grade 8, and I had to wait for her to come home from school so she could turn the computer on for me, because I couldn't seem to remember how to do that, so it was quite a feat for me to become a successful website owner... and now Cara has finished High School and is heading to Scotland to visit my Mum & Dad this Spring -- lucky girl!), so it's a long, slow process... and a whole lot of fun. I don't know anyone who is only interested in one thing, so that's my theory behind adding in whatever happens to appeal to me on the site. Plus, who's gonna stop me? ha,ha,ha!
Thanks for Writing! I love to hear from my Readers! Ailsa : )

Hello, again!  Here's a wee update from me, Ailsa... now I have an even EASIER way to make the Steak Pie - we do love it, year round - why save something delicious for just one night a year - dat crazy!  You don't have to do that - do anything you want, right?  Right! lol!  


Soo, this is how I do the Puff Pastry, now - you don't have to make it look like a very pretty pie, although that's a lovely way to make your Steak Pie, but this is waaay easier, much faster, and I just serve the Puff Pastry along with the meat - then you can get as much as you'd like, in each serving...






The Tenderflake Puff Pastry is the best one in North America - and Target has the best prices, usually $3 a box, and you get 2 'pieces' of Puff Pastry per box.  You'll just need to thaw it out, use a cutting board and some flour, roll it out 'til it'' pretty thin... don't worry about measuring it, or anything - it'll be delicious, one way or another, and once you've used it once, you'll be your own expert at how you like it - lol!





See the Puff Pastry dough all rolled out?  That's just the one piece - that's usually enough for one meal, but if you and your company looove Puff Pastry, go ahead and make both pieces of the dough.  

Oh, and here's a wee trick, in case you've forgotten to thaw out the Puff Pastry Dough - you can simply slice it down from the side - you'll see ridges on the side of the dough, just slice it thinly, like you would slice cheese, then put those in the oven - with the egg and lightly salt them - yum!  You can also pop the Puff Pastry in the microwave to thaw it - I'd say, maybe 30 seconds... do a wee bit at a time, so the dough is easily manageable : )




I always use Parchment Paper - I love it!  Is fantastic, and I didn't discover Parchment Paper until I was in my 30's - but it is fantastic for cookies - I always use it for my Shortbread, to - ooh, reminds me, I still have some rounds of Shortbread in my fridge from Christmas... will pop some in the oven for New Years, too - yum!  That's a lot of delicious food!  And all Scottish - well, my version of Scottish! lol! 

So, Do you see the wee bowl of 1 egg, mixed?  I do not like the 'beaten with a fork' - seems so mean, right? lol!  Anyway, give the egg a good mix with your fork (hopefully, you have more than one fork : ) then brush each piece of the pastry with a wee bit of egg (skip this, obviously, if you either don't like eggs, or are allergic to them, but, well, that seems like it goes without saying, right? haha!  But, you know, just for clarity sake - lol!).  Then I lightly salt each one - gives the puff pastry a savoury taste - soo good, you'll go crazy for it... we all love it, soo much!  I always make extra, since it's great to have with the leftover meat, that everyone loves to have the following day... 



Well, here it is with no veggies, on a regular night - none of us even wanted the veggies, so then I declared the potatoes to be the veggies - and now, I just do the whole thing in the oven - you put the steak or roast down on the bottom of a very big pan, then add the sausages (I use the Medium Spiced Italian Sausage from the butcher's section), the sliced mushrooms, then sprinkle on the Onion Soup Mix, then pour about 4 cups of boiling water over all of that, cover well with tin foil, pop in the oven for about 6 - 8 hours - is a great meal on a cold day, or a day you know you'll be staying in - we call these, lovingly, 'reading days', which we love : )  I still use my crock pot, but not as much - seems like a lot of work getting it out, and waiting for it to heat up, when I can just pop the whole thing in the oven... and then I 'pull the meat apart' - as in all 'pulled meat', which was also love (admittedly, we love a lot of things - lol!), and cut the sausages - no need to do any of that at the beginning - oh, and I just remembered my new thing - I place potatoes all around the outside edge of the pan, before the water goes on... these will be THE BEST smashed potatoes, ever - and if you have extra, you can turn them into these....





Just Olive Oil in the cookie tray, cut the potatoes - they don't already have to be cooked, but this is a great way to 'use up' your potatoes from the Steak Pie Dinner, the night before... and a wee bit of Seasoning Salt  -  move the potato slices about in the olive oil, so they're all coated lightly, bake for about 45 minutes, I think.. maybe a bit longer - we love them all crispy - yum! 



And here they are, all done!  Yum! Oven Roasted (and Toasted??) Potato Slices : ) 



Here's my guess... if you love your Bacon (with a Capital 'B' - haha!), you might also like to give yourself a really super-extra-special treat, say, once a month....! Ha! Is my Dream Gift!! lol!



Omg, can you imagine getting a fancy gift, every month?? Best Gift, Evah'!! 
Get $10 off any 12 month prepaid order for any of our six gourmet clubs! Code: GMC$10

AND.... in case you're Canadian, too - do all Canadians love Bacon?  and Beer? hahahaha!

We Ship to Canada: Summer Sale: Get $15 off at The Premier Cigar of the Month Club

Grocery Delivery!! 

This is so cool - let's say you've now been binge watching your fave shows, and you STILL have 4 more seasons left of your brand new-to-you show, soo you don't want to get up off the couch, but, also, you know you should probably get you' some groceries?

Problem - Solution! lol! 

Check and see if your area is covered by either VONS or Safeway... they cover some of the same areas, and some different areas - does that make sense? lol!

I loove this Delivery Service for Groceries and whatever you might need, right to your door, just in general, but what a great idea in bad weather, no more stooopid traffic, or if you're not feeling up to going out to the store, or you just don't feeeel like going out to the store...or if you're like me, and get so caught up in whatever you're working on, and don't want to stop just 'for food' - haha! And no need for Taxis, if you need to take a cab to the grocery store...that's a huge savings, right there, right?

Wow, Grocery Delivery Service - that's fantastico!! Yippee!!  Hello, Future - you look great! : )




I think this is such an amazing new service for your groceries - and anything you ever need from the grocery store - if you've ever had a time when you had a tiny baby, or you're super-busy (same thing - hahaha! All the New Moms will be laughing, now - lol!)..but if you're busy at work, or busy at home, or traffic, or you're busy binge-watching your favorite shows - hahahahaha! This might be the new wave of the future, right? Ordering your groceries online?

And I would imagine you would save a lot of money, since you would just buy what you actually need... might really work for dieting, too, since, well, if we're in the store, and be 'we', I mean 'me'...anyway, let's say I've got my grocery list, then I'm at the store, and I think, you know what, I'll just nick down the Candy Aisle, see if Chocolate is on sale (see how much I like Sale Chocolate - hahaha! Is it tastier, or just less expensive?? We'll never know! It's all gone, now - hahaha!)

Not that you couldn't just 'browse' for that, anyway... right? Me thinkin', now, o' course, where is the Sale Chocolate, online?? hahaha! But let's say you're you, and not me, and you have a LOT more self control than maybe ME do... so you order all the things you really wanted, and not just a whole cart full o' Wunderbars, on sale... hahahaha! Wouldn't THAT be fun - just a cartful of Sale Chocolate?? haha! Okay, clearly, me needs a treat! lol! : ) #SaleChocolate! Ha!
Shop Gifts Under $10 from See's Candies!Create your own Custom Chocolate Mix at See's Candies!  Okay, this is MY kind o' Luxury Reward - me always 'reward' mah'self wit' da delicious chocolates! hahaha!  I loove Sees Candies - soo deeelish! The Walnut Squares (#43 - is it bad for me to know the number?? hahahahaha!) (I've got your number..oooh, is it #43??  I hope so! lol!) Ooh, and I see that Sees has a sale, right now, Take $4 off of $20? Yahoo! Sale Chocolate - yes, please! haha! Yum! Don't mind if ah' do...lol! : )





Thursday, December 29, 2011

How to Recognize a Female Heart Attack -- A Nurse's Story

Helloo!! I just got this from my Mum, and this is very good information for women, and anyone who lives with a woman.... or knows a woman (okay, it;s good information for everyone...!)  There are quite a few medical situations where there is a lot of information for men, and how men react or show signs of certain medical conditions, but sometimes not so much info about some medical situations for women. Please pass this along, too, so we can all share this information, which may save the lives of many, many women.  (I didn't write this, but I looove nurses, and they're a great source of information :)

Long Live The Ladies!! 

NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE

I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I have ever heard. Please read, pay attention, and send it on!

FEMALE HEART ATTACKS

I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the best description I've ever read.

Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction). Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack.. you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.

'I had a heart attack at about 10:30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, 'A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.

A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation--the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.

After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR).

This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!

I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else... but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in a moment.

I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics... I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in.


I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like 'Have you taken any medications?') but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side by side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.

I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stints.
Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand.

1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body, not the usual men's symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up... which doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!

2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!

Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road.

Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road.

Do NOT call your doctor -- he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr will be notified later.

3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure). MIs are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

*Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends (male & female) who you care about!*

Monday, December 26, 2011

Wait, Don't Throw Out Those Leftover Cranberries or Leftover Turkey... or Pineapple! #Leftovers

Great Black Friday Deals, Just for You! 

What to Do With Your Leftover Cranberries - or Pineapple! 

Hahaha!  Nooo, don't throw out your leftover cranberries or pineapple, just yet... you can make a lovely Cranberry Bread, or my new favorite, Cranberry Pineapple Pie.... dang, I don't have pictures of the Pineapple Pie, on account o' I was gonna make it, yesterday, but I accidentally bought FIVE pies... ugh, what was I thinking???  They looked sooooo good in the store! lol!  Now they're all in the fridge... I baked the blueberry pie and the apple pie, (the secret to making a store-bought fruit pie more 'home-made' is to liberally sprinkle the top with sugar before you pop it in the oven...), and had one piece, last night, only because there it was, all uneaten, 'n all, and I had already baked them, so felt obligated to at least have one piece.... and then, this morning, I had one piece of the lemon pie... well, most of it... I think I would like it better frozen... when there's room in the freezer, I'll pop it in there, will be more like an ice cream dessert, and then I won't feel any pressure to eat it... it's funny, everything appeals to us in the store, then by the time we get home, the appeal is gone (odd, I've had some marriages like that, too! hahahahahahaha!  Okay, some dates, too.... hahaha!  Otay, you got me, those jokes are just for me, and, yes, I am laughing pretty hard, sitting here at the computer!! hahahaha! Happier to be Single on the Holiday of Stress, than with a crazy screamer or nutjob... no matter how good their hair is! hahaha! Oh, man... so silly!

Soooo, if you don't want to waste your leftover cranberries (or whole cans of cranberries... or if you see them on a great Boxing Day or After-Christmas Sale, and canny resist stocking up..), and you're not all pie-d out, like me, you can easily make a lovely pie with your cranberries and pineapple...

Cranberry Pineapple Pear Pie... the pears are optional, but pretty! lol!

Use the Easy Schmeasy Pie Crust... low in fat and very good for a low cholesterol diet, or anyone who wants a healthier version of a pie that tastes deeelicious!)Yes, this is the beginning of your Super-Easy Pie Crust! Look ma, no Lard! 

Easy Schmeasy Pie Crust:  This is the easiest pie crust, ever -- make it right in the pie plate, no rolling, just mix and press with your fingers.... and it's excellent for a low cholesterol diet... very low in fat and sugar, so great for diabetics, too... I love it because it's fast and easy (much like myself! An old joke, but a good one! lol!), delicious, and no lard -- ick!! The trick is to mix the milk with the oil -- I just shake it in a jar, or put the milk and oil in a glass, cover with plastic wrap, shake shake shake!  Fun to make with the kids, too!http://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.com/2010/10/easy-schmeasy-pie-crust.html

1 can cranberries, or whatever you have left of your cranberries
1 can crushed pineapple, slightly drained (okay to leave some liquid)
1or 2 tsp of Vanilla (really, I always put in extra Vanilla -- I loove it! lol!)
1 cup sugar

(Oh, if you don't have pineapple, try using a cup of raisins... will taste like Cherry Pie... no kidding! Cranberries + Raisins = Cherry!  Little trick of nature, right there! lol!)

Put in a large microwave bowl, and microwave for about 5 minutes... just to heat it up, melt the sugar, you know...

Stir together:
1 or 2 tbsp Cinnamon (because cinnamon is very good for you... moderates your blood sugar 'n whatnot :)
Dash of Salt
3 tbsp of flour (or corn starch)

Stir the dry ingredients into the cranberry/pineapple mixture, then pour into the pie shell.

If you happen to have pears, (pear halves, but but if you have pear slices, just arrange them neatly in a circle, unless you prefer a more relaxed look! lol!), arrange them in a circle... looks pretty :)

I like a Crumb Topping for pies, partly because it's waaay easier, but also because it's considerably less pie crust, so a healthier pie... the other day, when I was making shortbread, it occurred to me to reserve some of the shortbread dough (I wrap it in 'shortbread logs' in plastic wrap, leave in the fridge for whenever I might have a shortbread shortage! hahaha!  Like I would ever have a shortbread shortage! hahaha! Seems like I make it every other day, these days!) Anyway... take a little of the shortbread dough and add more icing sugar/flour to make it lightly crumbly, then sprinkle that on the pie.  You can do just an inch around the edge, then a section in the middle, or roll out the shortbread dough and cut shapes to place on top of the pie... or you can use my regular Crumb Topping... will have to get the link for you... it's the topping I put on the Peach Pie, which is craaazy delicious...

You technically don't need any pie crust for this pie, since it looks really pretty with the pears arranged around the top, so it's just a matter of personal choice...

Bake at 350 for aboout 45 minutes... the usual.  Let cool... enjoy!



Yum!!  This Cranberry Pineapple Walnut (okay, and chocolate! lol!) Bread was delicious -- I say 'was', because it goes really quickly, is soo yummy!  And healthy, too! 

OR, you could put the leftover cranberries in Cranberry Bread... just like the Banana Bread, only you use Cranberries, instead.  I generally use the whole can of Cranberries, especially if I've found them on sale, somewhere... this is really lovely bread, and you can make it like a coffee cake in a square 8" X 8" pan, or in a 9" X 13" pan (will take very little time to cook in a larger pan), or you can make it in a loaf pan...

Go ahead and throw in the pineapple, if you have it, and some nuts, if you like them.... chocolate chips are great, too, since chocolate cranberry is a great combo, right? (Also, Cranberry/Vodka! lol!)

I'll get the link and put it up for you... :)

Banana Bread Made Easy :) 
http://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.com/2011/12/perfect-banana-bread-every-time-banana.html

Everything you need for delicious Fruit Bread :)


Easy and Delicious Banana Bread
(adapted for Cranberry Bread : )
Stir together in a large bowl:
1 1/2 cups of Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 can Cranberries
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla                                                                                 
1/3 cup melted margarine (melt 30 seconds in the microwave)  
If you have some nuts, raisins, and/or chocolate, toss them in, too... will be delicious! : )

Oh, don't forget to Sprinkle the Cranberry Bread with LOTS of sugar (well, not a craaazy amount of sugar, but a good liberal sprinkling will give any Fruit Bread a nice crispy crust... you'll love it!), to give it a really nice finish.. will be waaay more delicious, and if you are going for more of a 'Coffee Cake', add the Crumb Topping, and that will be absolutely lovely, too : )

Bake at 350 Degrees F. for 15 - 45 minutes, depending on pan size you use (remember to grease the pan, and/or use parchment paper so it won't burn or stick to the pan... : ) 


Creamy Delicious Peach Pie  (the Crumb Topping is on this Peach Pie...!)








Leftover Turkey: Oh, and just in case you still have some turkey in your fridge, have you had it with a yummy Campbell's Mushroom Soup 'Gravy' (just heat up the soup plus a wee bit of milk!), delicious with potatoes (also left over?? lol!), rice or pasta - yummy, one way or another!

And then there's always my favourite, favourite toasted turkey sandwiches! Add in any leftover Stuffing - yum! Simple and delicious!  lol!

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Beautiful Wire Tree Sculptures You Can Make at Home : > #DIY #ArtsAndCrafts #CraftProjects #Crafts

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Green and Blue Wire Tree Sculpture -- see the little Four Leaf Clover??
Hello!!  So here's my favourite thing to make, these days... I just looove making these lovely Wire Tree Sculptures.  They're so pretty, and very therapeutic : ) lol! They're gorgeous around your own house, and they make great gifts, too!

I used to make these with my wonderful Special Ed Students in California, whom I miss very, very much, and they loved making them, too.  I had a lesson plan, all very fancy, for the Tree Sculptures, but I couldn't find it in my files... will have to look through my other computer to see if I can find it for all the teachers out there in 'Netland (the internet! lol!), in case you'd like to try this with your own students.  Children can easily make these trees with a little bit of adult help.  I love the idea of children getting comfortable using real tools.  In the States, you can easily find the wire at Home Depot... I used to find it at Home Depot, back by the bathrooms, in giant rolls, about $20 a roll... was a great price!  Will swing by Home Depot next time I'm in the States, to pick up a serious supply of wire! lol!

My Purple Jewelry Tree
I like to use 20 Gage  Wire, but if you can find 18 gauge wire, all the better, especially if you are planning to use the Wire Tree Sculpture as a Jewelry Tree, which I happen to love! : )

Ah, well, I've slightly over-loaded this little Tree !! I'm very, very fond of shiny jewelry!





































You will need:


15 - 10" wire pieces
15 - 15" wire pieces
15 - 20" wire pieces
1   - 24" piece of wire


You can add really long pieces of wire if you want a very tall tree... : )


Any Base you like... small mirrors (get them at the Dollar Store :), small tiles from the hardware store, driftwood, if you happen to live where you could find some (!), a larger rock, or beautiful larger gem stone (I have large pieces of Amethyst and Quartz... would look gorgeous... be creative, and you just need school glue, or a hot glue gun (I use school glue, because I am a teacher! lol!)


Gems or Beads


Silk Plants, Greenery, anything that looks pretty hanging on a Tree Sculpture! : )


Needlenose Pliers (they have a sharp bit at the base for cutting the wire, and use the pliers to shape the wire, especially for doing the small loop at the end of the wires if you're gluing the gems on them... :)


You know what I just remembered?  When I was making these Tree Sculptures with my students, we used to push the tree 'roots' into flower pots filled with gravel, then put pretty tumbled rocks (we got them at Michael's), and we used to decorate the flower pots... lightly cover the whole flower pot with glue, then sprinkle with glitter... the tiny, really fine glitter, was the prettiest.  We also put the trees in vases in different colors, then would match the vase color to the beads and silk plants we would add to them... really, the Tree Sculptures evolved into masterpieces, and amazed everybody... man, do I miss my lovely students!  


This is a great exercise to teach measurement, and the kids love this... and so do their parents if you happen to be making this for gifts or to sell with your class, if they are learning how to start a small business (a great thing that every student should learn before they leave high school, so they'll always have something to fall back on, right??).


Carefully cut the wire pieces.  Set aside 3 groups of 15 pieces. For smaller Tree Sculptures, use 10 pieces in each pile.  


Arrange in a 'clump', like you are putting together a flower arrangement.  Tap the bottom of the wire bunch on the table to make them even.  


Cut one piece of wire about 24". Very carefully, wind the 24" wire around the base of the wire bunch, about 4" up from the bottom.  Wrap this 24" piece of wire as tightly as you can, keeping it tight against the wires.  You can squish the end bits of the wire with your pliers, to make it safe. (This is definitely an adult job... too hard for little fingers :)


If you want to put the loose 'gems' on the tree, it's easier if you turn a small loop at the top of each wire with your pliers before you put the tree into a bundle. (I had to learn that the hard way! lol!)


If you are putting beads on the end of each wire, you can easily bundle the wire, first, then glue them on, later, unless you are using very tiny beads in a pattern, then you can do it either way.  Whatever works for you : )


Carefully pull each of the base of the wires out to form the 'roots'.  I like to bend each one into 'waves... looks more like Tree Roots! 


Then you're going to take your time, and wave each of the wires -- the wire will bend easily to your will... sorry, couldn't resist that last line... it might be the only thing that easily bends to your will! hahahaha!  Not sure why that makes me laugh so much! lol!.  If you are lucky enough to find the giant roll of wire at Home Depot (or any other construction store!), the wire may be cut very smoothly, so it will look like a perfect curve.  If you work really carefully, you can maintain the curve, and this looks amazing, too :)


Just be as creative as you want to be -- these are gorgeous, and you'll be thrilled with your new creation!  


You can add Silk Flowers and hang little ornaments from each wire.
Is this one easier to see?  Hope so!
See the little lucky 4 leaf Clover in the middle of the tree?  Man, I love 4 leaf clovers, and have an odd knack for finding them.. no matter where I am, I look down, and there's a 4 leaf clover!  Must be because I love them soo much! lol! But I just cut a small circle out of the plastic packaging the wire came in... in Canada, I have only found my favorite 20 gage wire in very small rolls, 50 feet, maybe, and they come in a small package, I think in the Tools Aisle, at Home Depot, of course! lol! I love Home Depot!! But I just cut the small circle, and glued the 4 green leaf-shaped gems onto that, and when that had dried, I glued it to the wire ... you just make a little loop at the end of the wire with your needlenose pliers, then put the glue on the back of the plastic or 'gem'.  You can make this a very, very fancy tree by using actual gems... order them through China, you'll get a better deal (!).  I like DHGate, since they are so reliable :)  Have fun with your tree!!





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Monday, December 19, 2011

How to Keep the Weight Off During the Holidays, starting at Halloween and ending at New Years! Yikes! #Diet



Apple Crumble Diet
Omg, there are sooo many delicious things to eat during the holidays... even more than usual, right?  I'm not a big fan of not eating all those lovely things at Christmas... it's fun to eat all that delicious food!  Who doesn't love a wee treat, a wee something special, just for you?? hahaha!  Well, not to worry.  I firmly believe you can have your treats and add one little thing to your daily diet, a simple little dish that you can make in a minute (literally!).  It's my favourite 'Apple Crumble'... I have a new one that I've now been eating for years, instead of my much fancier version of Apple Crumble when I first wanted to lose 35 pounds... when I wanted to lose that weight, after my lovely son was born (okay, two years after my little man was born... man, those extra pounds were soo hard to take off... something about having a baby in your late thirties... makes that weight just want to stay put! lol!).


And who doesn't want a little wine - we'll all age gracefully! lol! ; )
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So, anyway, if you can find a space in your day, each day, to add a bowl of Apple Crumble, you'll not only NOT gain weight during all the holiday eating, the chances are really high you'll lose some weight, too.  And if you want to lose a lot of poundage (like I did! lol!), just add the Apple Crumble a couple of times a day... you'll naturally want to have less other food, because the Apple Crumble is really filling, plus, it'll just make you feel like, Look at me, all healthy, 'n all, takin' good care of my body!" Hahaha!  Having a positive attitude toward the wee treat that is actually making your body healthier, is a great thing, and very good for keeping it going... and if you miss a day, no worries, add it in, tomorrow, or the next day.  Eventually, you'll find you miss it when you don't have your Apple Crumble during the day (or evening, but I find I tend to eat the Apple Crumble in the morning and afternoon... and it's super-easy to bring to work.  Just make it in the morning, pop it in the microwave at work before you sit down for a warm meal : )


Super-Simple Apple Crumble Diet

Ingredients:


Unsweetened Apple Sauce
Oatmeal
Cinnamon


Could it beee any easier??
Sprinkle the apple sauce with the oatmeal, then a little sprinkle of Cinnamon, pop in the microwave for 120 seconds... delicious, and you'll be losing weight, or maintaining your weight through the holiday feasts! :)

Look, I've made Applesauce look pretty!! lol!
Half a bowl of Apple Sauce

Pour the Apple Sauce into any bowl.. I like to use a pretty bowl -- it changes how you feel about whatever you're eating, but I'll use a normal cereal bowl if I'm having the Apple Crumble for lunch, or breakfast  (I think I am more likely to have the Apple Crumble for a mid-morning snack or lunch, sometimes a mid-afternoon snack... just fit it into your daily diet wherever you can, wherever you like it). 

Sprinkle Oatmeal directly on the Apple Sauce, enough to cover it.  I find that if you put on too much oatmeal, it'll be dry, and it's nicer with more Apple Sauce than Oatmeal...

Now Sprinkle with a little Cinnamon.. remember that Cinnamon is fantastic for regulating your Blood Sugar (a Good Thing! lol!), and the oatmeal and apple sauce are great for fibre, and lowering your cholesterol, and the weight loss will lower your Blood Pressure, and you'll look and feel fantastic, too ... they're just really, really good whole foods, and your body will thank you for it! All that in one little bowl of Apple Crumble! : )


Ugh, I couldn't get the pictures in the order I wanted them in... this program kept moving them around... frustrating, but you're a smartie, I'm sure you'll figure it out, no bother! lol!  Good Luck, and Happy Feasting!!  Ailsa xox! : )


Oooh, I had to step up my porridge and apple crumble regimen over the past week (I've dropped 2.5" off my waist in this last week - this works so fast, and is so effective in keeping the weight off) - so I have the porridge for breakfast, and the applesauce/oatmeal/cinnamon for my mid-afternoon snack (seems like that's a bad time for me, when I'd rather have almost anything else that's fancy!! hahaha!  Ah, well.  You can still have anything else you like when you have lots of oatmeal in your diet - oatmeal will just 'carry it all away', if you know what I mean! lol!  Sorry!! I think the oatmeal goes through your system, finds little bits and pieces of fat, carries that away with it, too! 'Get on my back, fat, let's get outta here!!' That's the oatmeal speaking!!  hahaha!  


Oh, and here's an extra little bonus when you make the porridge with salt that is iodized... that's a good source of iodine, which can be tricky to get, but, certainly, if you are on a low-salt diet, skip the slat, or if you are eating your porridge with brown sugar and cinnamon, skip the salt... I happen to love my porridge the Scottish way (reminds me of my Dad every time I have my porridge, because Daddy made the porridge on the weekends - a lovely childhood memory for me!)  So try the whole oatmeal thing - is worth a shot, and is oatmeal is fantastic for bringing down your cholesterol, and when you lose weight, that will bring your blood pressure down, too - see how great oatmeal is?! lol!    https://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.ca/2012/04/scottish-porridge-eat-yer-oatmeal-lose.html

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