My favorite place to get books...

I have said before that I love reading. But buying books can get expensive especially if it only takes about a week to finish them. Of course now in days who knows when I can finish a book. Either way I still attempt. I always have books stacked up on my nightstand. Along with buying books comes the book shelf. I have two book shelves to be exact. And I started having piles of books beside the book shelf. So I heard about a website called paper back swap. Basically you post 10 books that you would be willing to give away. And for just posting those 10 books you get 3 credits. For each book you send out you get 1 credit and each book will you cost you 1 credit. (There are audio books and such but those are a little more pricey in the book process). You don't have to trade with the same person, you don't have to use all your credits at one time. You pay for shipping when you send it to someone else, so when you get it it is free. Anyways if you get a chance to head over, check it out. I really like it.

Currently reading: He Who Wept: An epic novel of Jeremiah By: T. Lemmons

Just ordered off of Paper Back Swap (for later): The Confessions of Saint Augustine By: Saint Augustine translated by E. B. Pusey

If you like apples....

If you like apples, which I don't know who doesn't, there is an apple festival in Oak Glen. Russell and I go every year. It's lots of fun! You can pick your own apples, make your own apple cider. And there is usually a petting zoo, yummy apple baked goods. My favorite is apple butter (more like how they make peanutbutter then "butter"). Their apple cider taste so fresh you can almost taste the dirt off the peel. And trust me that is a good thing.

For more information on the Apple Festival click here.

Don't forget cherry season is May through Mid July. And lots of Strawberry Festivals in May.

ALSO stay tuned to visit the largest corn maze in Southern California!

Bacon Au Gratin Potatoes

Ingredients:
3/4 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk
salt and white pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 lbs new red potatoes sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 cup grated monterey-cheddar cheese mix

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 8x10 rectangel baking dish
2. in a nonreactive saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Whisk in the milk and cook until the liquid is slightly thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Remove from heat
5. In mixing bowl, toss the sliced potatoes with a little salt and pepper. Fold in the cream sauce and pour 1/2 into prepared pan. Layer with half of bacon and 1/2 cheese. Then add potatoes and the rest of the bacon and cheese.
6. Cover with tin foil and place in oven about 35-40 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove tin foil last 5 minutes to golden the top. Cool a couple of minutes before serving.

Pineapple glazed Ham with Pineapple Corn Relish

I got a great discount on a half a ham during the holidays and been meaning to have some friends over the share it with. Finally we got out dates together and had a wonderful dinner in the middle of the summer. Oh well...it was yummy.

Pineapple glazed Ham

Ingredients
1 6 to 9 lb ham
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 tbspn honey Dijon or stone-ground mustard
3/4 tspn hot sauce
3 heaping tbspn crushed pinapple
1/8 tspn ground cloves
1 can sliced pineapple


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Insert the meat into a cook bag and onto a racking pan with at least a 2 inch lip. Cook about 20 minutes per lb, fat side up. Insert a meat thermometer, making sure it does not touch the fat or the bone. Bake uncovered until the meat thermometer registers 135 degrees F.
3. Combine apricot preserves, mustard, hot sauce, crushed pinapple, and cloves in a small bowl, to make a glaze. Whisk until smooth. Remove the ham from oven and brush with the glaze. Bake until the meat thermometer registers 140 degrees about 20 mintues.

Pineapple Corn Relish

Ingredients:
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup whole kernel corn, yellow
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tbsp diced sweet red bell pepper
1 can chopped pineapple
1/3 cup water
pinch ground cloves

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard, and turmeric in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the corn, onion, and bell peppers; cook for 4 minutes. Set aside.
2. In a small saute pan, cook diced pineapple with water over medium heat until tender. And corn relish and a pinch of ground cloves and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve the relish hot or cold.

Cross-country

If you were to do a cross-country road trip where would you go? What would you prioritize as a sight to see? How many days would you spend at each spot? Would you stop so you can taste Louisianna Jambalya? Or check to see which is better Chicago pizza or New York Pizza? Or would you want to see Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone?

Home By: J. Andrews

Home: A memoir of my early years By: Julie Andrews

I just finished reading this book. There is a reason I don't pick up books as often as I use to. They engross me at times. I have hard time putting it down. I am sure my kids enjoy that I am not annoyed at them interrupting my reading. "Just a couple more pages, please".

This was a hard book for me to read. Julie Andrews has been a big part of our family. Penelope hated the car seat. But whenever we turned on the sound track to Mary Poppins it would calm her down. It was magical music. Nothing else would do it. I always said that it had something to do with the active melody of the music. Sadly it doesn't work with Austyn's dislike of the car seat.

Julie Andrews life was fairly difficult to start. She had a troubled childhood and was an English childhood actor/ performer. Through the beginning of the book I kept telling Russell out loud, "I liked her better in Mary Poppins". To me Julie Andrews was still the nanny that help soothe my daughter through her voice. Soon enough I separated the part she played in one movie from the actress. She opened up in the book about her family, her feelings, her life. It was wonderful to be able to peak inside of her life this way. It intensely saddened me to find out that her first marriage ended. I didn't know that until I was almost done with the book. Though she doesn't go that far in her life in this memoir (only until she is starting rehearsals for Mary Poppins) she doesn't hide the fact. Though there is a part of me that wanted this seemingly wonderful marriage to continue no matter what, I am glad she is happily married.

It is difficult to separate yourself when it is a novel versus a memoir. With a novel the end is the end. If there is no more you can make it more in your head. With a memoir you get a snippet of someones life but Julie Andrew is living a full life. There is so much more to her story. I recommend this book. Especially for anyone who has been raised with her as I have, watching her in the Sound of Music almost every Christmas.

10 K

Since I finished my 5K and have lost a significant amount of weight I have kind of plateaued. At times I am loosing weight, at times I am gaining weight. For the most part it's coming off but not nearly as quickly as it could. I have been talking about doing a 10K (with the hopes of one day doing A (meaning one only) marathon. 5K has become a comfort level. I need to push myself further. So 10K training schedule here we come. Here is a link I am probably going to lightly follow. And then I have to schedule a race. I already have my races up till September planned. October there is a Wet n' Wild 5K some friends were going to do. So maybe in November. Which probably gives me too much time to do it. So the laziness might continue.

a study on Ruth

Every year Beth Moore's blog does a summer bible study. This year I'm very excitted will be doing a study on Ruth by Kelly Minter. I have never heard of her before and am looking forward to being introduced to another teacher. This study has no traditional teaching it's just the study that you would do at home. Kelly Minter is also a music artist and has a music CD to go along with the study. Beth Moore's guided study will start Tuesday, June 22nd. If your interested jump on board quickly.

Take the ride of a lifetime

This is so going on my bucket list. I saw a brochure for this when I first started training for a 5K. But I am so not physically fit for it. Plus I can't leave my kids for 8 days and we don't have the finances. But maybe some day.....

There is a bike ride you can take to support the Arthritis Foundation at the end of September. It goes from San Francisco to Santa Monica, a 525 mile ride. Wow! But what a once in a lifetime experience. You are provided breakfast and dinner and there are sightseeing along the way for lunch stops and you camp all the way down the coast. There is also people who follow you that help carry your camping gear and help if you run into technical difficulties. Russ and I joke around, maybe next year. But even if we are diligent in our training. I don't know if we would be physical fit enough for it. But defiantly someday!

Amgen California Coast Classic Bicycle Tour

Some fun 5K's coming up

Here are some fun 5K's coming up!

There are a lot July 4th. If you want to spend your independence day running. I'm going to be doing one in Redondo Beach. Here for more info.

There is one in Santa Paula at the end of July that sounds like a blast. But I have something going on that day and wont be able to do it. You run through country roads winding through cool citrus groves. And that same day they also have a hot air balloon festival. Maybe next year. Click here for more info. It might be fun to go to just to go to the hot air balloon festival.

There is a mud race at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. I originally started thinking about doing 5K's when a friend of mine did a mud race in San Diego. I was pregnant with Austyn at the time and decided to make it my way of getting my body back in shape after having two kids. This one is in August. Click here for more info.

Believe it or not Disneyland is having a race. Awesome huh! They actually have a half marathon (but don't worry I will be only doing the 5K). The half marathon starts at downtown disney, runs through disneyland, then california adventure, then into the streets of Anaheim to the Angels stadium where you run past home plate and back to downtown disney. Seeing how it is 4 times as far as I have been training. Maybe next year. LOL. Here is the info. If you want to do it, register now because I think it is almost full.

Fun things coming up even if you just want to watch or go for some fun festivals.

Baked Ziti Rigatoni

Ingredients:

1 (16oz) package dry ziti rigatoni pasta
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2 (28 oz) jars spaghetti sauce
8 oz. sliced provolone cheese
8 oz. sliced mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1-2 tbspn Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until ad dente; drain
2. In a large skillet, brown beef over medium heat. Add onions right when meat is half way cooked. Continue cooking until beef is brown and onions are tender. Drain off fat and add spaghetti sauce; simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. In a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish, place about half of the pasta; top with a layer of half the provolone and mozzarella cheese slices. Spread on a layer of half the spaghetti sauce mixture. Then add on top all the sour cream.
5. Cover with remaining pasta, cheese, and sauce; sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
6. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly; serve.

Original Recipe brought to you by Disney Family. With mild moderations.

Cronin Chocolate Cake

My mom started this cake with directions from my dad who kept saying "make it more chocolate, more chocolate". My sister's sweet sixteen birthday cake was this cake. My 21st birthday, while I was in nursing school, I spent an evening making it so I could bring it to class the next day to help celebrate my birthday.

Ingredients

Favorite Chocolate Cake Recipe (usually doubled so you can make 4 round cakes)
12 oz Cool Whip
2 cups Milk Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Make Chocolate Cake as preferred in 4 round cakes.
2. After they cool cut the rise in the cake so they are even to stack.
3. Melt chocolate, preferably in a double boiler. When fully melt add to Cool Whip.
4. Assemble cake with cool whip between layers and around cake.

**serve with large glass of milk :)

Donate Life

Well as I sign up for different races some of them are for great causes. One that I'm doing on May 1st is for organ donation by the organization Donate Life. If you feel lead here is the link if you want to help out financially. If you want to run the race here is the link to be a part of it that way. : )

Tiramatzah

No that is not a miss-print. Our home group is doing a passover feast on Wednesday and a friend in the group asked if I could bring this dish. I am very excited to eat it and am possibly considering making it again for our family feast on Easter. I got this recipe from a traditional recipe at allrecipe.com and added the matzah as described at Evil Mad Scientist Labatory.

Ingredients

6 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
about 1/2 package matzah
1/3 cup coffee flavored liqueur
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
1 ounce square semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.
2. Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined. In a seperate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.
3. Split the matzah and line bottom of a 8x8 glass pan . Brush with coffee liqueur. Spoon half of cream filling over the matzah. Repeat matzah, coffee liqueur and filling layers. Repeat until pan is full, ending with cream filling. Garnish with cocoa and chocolate curls. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
4. To make chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the chocolate bar. It helps if the chocolate was in the fridge.

Noni's Succo

In hanging out with a friend Leah and I got a 4 generation old Sicilian recipe from her mother. (Noni is the grandmother but it originated from Rossina Finochio (her mother) from Alcomo, Sicily). Succo is what her family called it and it actually means juice. But this is how they make marinara sauce and meatballs (polpette di carne). I slightly modified it for what worked for me.

Succo

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs of mild Italian sausage
4 small (6oz) cans of tomato paste (Cantadina)
1- 13 or 14 oz can of tomato sauce (Cantadina)
4 tomatoes (I used 2 vine ripe, 2 roma)
1 onions
4 cloves garlic per taste
Water to add
10 heaping tsps of sugar
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. In large pot, heat olive oil then remove skins and break apart meat of sausages, to cover bottom of pan.
2. Right before they are fully cooked add in 1 onion coarsely chopped. Sauté until onions are translucent.
3. Empty paste and sauce into pot on top of sausage mixture.
4. Add 1 ½ can water to every tomato paste can used
5. Add sugar to sauce
6. Add in oregano, basil, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth
7. Put on simmer with lid for 2-3 hours, stir once in a while.



Meatballs

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 onion
1/4 cup milk
A little Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Combine breadcrumbs, egg, onion chopped, milk, Romano chesse, and salt & pepper. then add meat and combine.
2. Bake meatballs in shallow pan at 350 degrees until brown about an hour
3. Add them to sauce and continue stirring and simmering.

Spinach, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Chesse Tostada

Ingredients:

1 tbspn olive oil
1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced into half moons
4 cups spinach, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-6 inch diameter whole-wheat tortillas
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, preferably reduced-fat

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees
2. heat the oil is a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, and stirring, until gold and edges are browned, 10-12 minutes.
3. Add spinach and cook until it is wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the tortillas on a baking sheet and top each one with the spinach mixture. Crumble the goat cheese over each and bake until the tortillas are crisp and the cheese is slightly melted, about 10 minutes.
5. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut into 4 wedges and serve.

serving size 4 wedges (or one tortilla). kcal 141, total fat 5.5g, fiber 2.5 g.

Recipe originated from E. Krieger "The food you crave: Luscious recipes for a healthy life" and slightly modified.

Running....

Well, many of you might know I have been trying to prepare myself for running a 5K (which sounds better than it is). It is actually only 3 miles. And I was on week 4 of training but recently got a cold so I am taking sometime off so I don't have a snotty nose while I run and hack the whole way. I collaborated a regimen from about.com in beginner runner and couch to 5K. I am very excited about it and can't wait to start working out again. I believe this is the longest workout regimen that I have actually kept to. : )

Sierra National Forest

I recently traveled to Auberry and Prather that is on the border of the Sierra National Forest in the county of Fresno. It is gorgeous there to say the least. The mountains, trees, wildlife, rocks, natural waterfalls, with even a fairly secluded Redinger lake. The town likes to be free of outsiders, but this has just allowed the small town to keep it's small town feel and the landscape to remain breathtaking. The Mono Indians have a reservation with a Mono Wind Casino. The restaurant within the casino is fabulous. They even make their own fresh potato chips. When you order a basket they are still warm from cooking. There is also a small restaurant, cafe called Java Time. They make to die for french toast that is make out of cinnamon rolls. Shaver lake is about 30-45 minutes away and there is a ski slope up there. The city of Fresno is about 45 minutes away the other direction. Yosemite National Park is about an hour and a half away. These small towns are a little hide out in the middle of nature.

manzanita wreath

Supplies

wire wreath frame (I made my own with wire and wire cutters)
twine
manzanita branches with leaves and blooms


Directions

1. secure twine to wire wreath frame
2. add a branch, pay attention to the direction of the branch. All other branches will be going the same direction. wrap the twine around it a couple of times to secure.
3. Add another branch going the same direction, place end of branch in with the secure twine and branch and wrap around with twine to secure a couple of times. Try not to cover up too many of the leaves and blossoms. Continue until all the way around.
4. When finished tie twine to frame and add a loop to allow the wreath to hang.

I saw something similar to the way I made this on Martha Stewart during the holidays, but because I live in a concrete jungle it was a little hard to get the leaves that she used. I was very excited when I thought of the idea while staying at my parents house out in the country for the weekend. I used manzanita branches and leafs. They are very meaningful to us. My dear Grandpa Bruce died at a nursing home trying to recover from surgery called Manzanita Nursing Home. My parents property has many of these trees. Below is a picture of some of the Manzanita trees on my moms property.

Orange Fish with Cabbage

Ingredients

1 tsp grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbspn low sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tspn minced fresh gingerroot
1 tspn cornstarch
2 tspn sesame oil
4- 4 oz. fish fillets (I used tilapia)
2 oz. chopped cabbage

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together orange peel, orange juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch; set aside.
2. In large skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat
3. add fish and cook until edges turn white. Turn and continue cooking until lightly golden.
4. Add reserved sauce to the skillet right before the fish is done.
5. divide cabbage evenly among dinner plates; top with fish and sauce.

Nutritional Information: Kcal 144, fat 4g., Protein 21g., Carbs 5 g., dietary fiber 1b, cholesterol 49 mg, sodium 365 mg.

This is a new recipe. Overall I liked it a lot. I didn't grate the orange peel, but I think you should. I chopped the peel into small strips and they were still too big. I also added a pinch of Paula Deen's House Seasoning (See below) when cooking the fish, but I don't really think it needed it. The recipe recommended to be paired with green beans and red potatoes. I think rice would be a better combination. But overall it was all really yummy. I retrieved this recipe from Saving Dinner and modified it slightly.


Paula Deen's House Seasoning

• 1 cup salt
  
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• 1/4 cup onion powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Olympics

If you don't watch or pay attention to the Olympics you will be looked at as an alien in this household. But in case you don't have a ton of time to watch it on TV I found this cool website or this one. So now you have no excuse.

Personally, I want one of these flashlights. But I don't think I would pay an arm and a leg for them on ebay later.

whale of a day

The annual Whale of the day celebration is coming up Saturday, March 6th. It is 10 am to 4 pm at Point Vicente Interpretive Center at 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West. It is a festival celebrating the migration of the Pacific Gray Whale from its summer feeding grounds in the Bering and Chuchki Seas in Alaska to the winter breeding and calving grounds in Baja California. The activities for children include face painting, children's crafts, chalk drawing, story telling, small children's games ~ all at no charge. There are also exhibits, craft and food vendors and a raffle drawing.

Shrimp orzo skillet

This recipe is from a Pampered Chef cookbook that I slightly modified

Ingredients

1 lb. large uncooked shrimp (21-25 lb)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
10 oz. orzo pasta
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
1 cup clam juice
1 lemon for 1 tbsp. lemon zest and 1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. mint sliced with chiffonade (shif-uh-NAHD) technique
1 cup 2 inch cut asparagus
1 tbsp. butter

Instructions

1. Peel, devein, and remove tails of shrimp. Add oil to 10 inch skillet heat oil over medium-high heat for 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. As skillet heats, combine salt, black pepper, and sugar in small bowl. Add shrimp to bowl and coat shrimp with mixture.
2. Arrange shrimp in a single layer on skillet and cook until shrimp is cooked. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
3. In same skillet (don't wash it), combine water and chicken bouillon cubes until chicken broth is made. Then add orzo, pressed garlic, and clam juice. Bring to boil. Add asparagus then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 10-12 minutes or until orzo is cooked through.
4. Remove skillet from heat and add butter and lemon juice. Arrange shrimp over orzo and cover the let stand 3-5 minutes. Before serving sprinkle with lemon zest and mint.

Linny's famous baked beans

This recipe is my mother in laws (Lindsey's) baked beans. I made it recently for the super bowl.

Ingredients

3 lbs Can of Campbell's Pork and Beans
1 lb. bacon
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 small ketchup bottle


Instructions

1. Cook Bacon until crispy and chop up
2. with bacon grease add onions and bell peppers, cook until tender then add cooked bacon.
3. Add beans slightly drained
4. Add brown sugar and ketchup. Bring to boil
5. Let sit for 6 hours then reheat and serve.

bookmark love

Supplies

white cardstock
fabric
ribbon or string or embroidery floss
craft knife
straight paper cutter
edger rounder
spray mount adhesive


Instructions

1. cut white cardstock 2 1/2 inches by 6 inches and round edges
2. with craft knife cut out a heart shaped hole in one of the bookmarks made
3. cut out fabric slightly smaller then the bookmarks
4. apply spray mount adhesive to fabric then place fabric down on plain bookmark
5. apply spray mount adhesive to bookmark with heart cutout and place down on bookmark with fabric
6. cut small heart shaped hole at top for ribbon or string and tie string to it
7. Write love inscription "but the greatest of these is love.. I Cor 13:13"

The Lion King

The Broadway show 'The Lion King' is coming to Costa Mesa. They are performing at the Orange County Performing Arts Center from May 26th to June 13th. You can click here to buy tickets they start at $25.95 per person.