Misc. on my mind
-----Mexican Cabbage Roll Soup. Taste of Home. This has a freeze option. I might play with spices and the order of the recipe.
-----Chipotle Chicken and Vegetable Soup
-----Authentic Thai Fried Rice. Street Food-style!
-----Saucy Mushroom Salmon with Spinach and Tomato Orzo. That looks colorfully yummy. I might try it with vegetarian modifications.



This is a Salmon Baked In Cream with Sweet Bay, Thyme and Savory that I made for husband as part of late Valentine's (2016). He said it was the best fish I'd ever made him. Husband liked rice side to be plain at the time.
I looked up the recipe used ... dill is the standard vs. savory. :-)

We've also liked:
~~~ Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce from Swanson. One skillet dish that utilizes white wine. It was the first time we used fish stock.

And we liked:
~~~ Roasted Curry Salmon with Tomatoes from Real Simple. Pardon the lighting on this one.

SPOOPATHON

"...you are trapped in a haunted house. The only way out of the haunted house is through reading prompts."

I decided to be on this TEAM because I might want to make my journey more suited to me ... I'm like that sometimes. :-)
"The team with the most points at the end of the readathon become haunted house royalty."
Now on to the starting prompts ...

I picked a book with a black cover. This novella was the inspiration for the movie The Shawshank Redemption. This standalone is just 144 pages ... it made for an interesting and quick start to the month-long readathon that I found late. :-)

And then I find that I have read the actual book (but loved the reread). I've read a lot and this happens a lot. I really do need to start a database. What are your reading pet peeves??
This novella has awesome last few lines. :-) They just make me happy.
FINISHED

This loosely goes along with the book plot. I love the song!



____________________________________



And the next prompt ...

This is also a re-read but I am much fuzzier on the details to this one. Nazi-occupied Holland, crime and a doppelgänger.
This book is compared to Camus! I am on page 13 of 421. Thus far, several characters are disturbed/dysfunctional/messed up.

Sunday Stealing meme

THIS SIDE OF THE POND

1. What's something you've recently accomplished solo?
Well, I attempted to get my long unused calligraphy pens working. I found, after inking up four pens, that I most of them take a non-standard ink tube. Then everyone started giving me advice as I got a bamboo pen to actually take the ink ... I didn't mind that but did get a bit peeved when I started getting advice on how to operate the pen. I was all like "I KNOW how to do calligraphy!' Then I found that I am slightly and/or actually allergic to this particular ink. I did get a couple of lines of text out after all that.
An in-progress is learning the lyre harp. :-) It's not easy to find quality instructionals for.

2. What's one product you use that never ever fails?
My shampoo and conditioner costs a combined $99. That seems like a lot to me. Nanoworks Gold Shampoo and Conditioner Duo. I was given it by a review company. Very, very sensitive to dry skin, allergies, etc. Very, very natural. The shampoo seems like it is purely clarifying at first but then the conditoner makes the day. No buildup. Hardly any sensitivity if in eye but some. People sell the unopened bottles for ridiculous amounts.

3. Have you found your place in the world? Where is it?
Well, yes. But it is complex and private (and yet so simple). Good luck on your journey!

4. Worst movie you ever saw? ever?
Spice Girls or the Miami Vice movie.
Oh, and we walked out of the second Legally Blonde movie.

5. What's the last fun thing you did?
Reorganizing a desk drawer and my fave book shelf ... hey, you have your fun and I have mine. MY fave bookcase has 18 shelves.
Playing sock football indoors with my husband. Tossing a military-style rolled sock ball and running around. I have a thing for football back before it got to be such a contact sport ... like the kind kids used to play in any empty lot.

6. What's your favorite Italian dish?
I make a lot of Bolognese here. I keep jars of capers on hand for Spaghetti alla Puttanesca ... and sometimes add the anchovies like they do in Lazio. If ordering pasta, De Cecco is one of my fave brands. Anything from the Roland Foods catalog (imported from many countries,founded in France) is usually a good compliment ... pesto, olives whatever.
For dream dining out stateside, I'd sup at Sinatra in Las Vegas ... followed by some show of epic proportions. I definitely try the homemade meatballs and polenta fries as a antipasti. :-)
I love learning about the foods made in the countryside of Italy and all the tomato stuff from Calabria in Southern Italy.

7. Have you ever been to France? Any desire to visit there, and if so what would site or city would you most want to see?
I have not been there but have a loved one who really, really wants to go. We'd see as much of the workings of the Eiffel Tower as could be viewed and I would want to see anything to do with literature, movies, poets. Jim Morrison's grave. The place where Voltaire drank so many cups of coffee. Quasi-related, I would LOVE to make my way to St. Helena, in the South Atlantic, where Napoleon was exiled to.

8. Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?
I have been. I'd like to run/visit during Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend ... "the most magical running weekend ever."

9. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more church mouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse?
Generally, I am pretty energetic. I dance A LOT. When I want to be quiet, that is reading or listening to music(which could include lots of LOUD music, depending on mood). Along the quiet side, I am reading a book about a year in the life of a Shinto shrine. 

10. Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favorite kind of bread?
I've been known to make various quick breads in my mother's bread pans from when I was growing up. I do a lot of old-fashioned desert bread stuff. I have bits and pieces of bread-making knowledge and one day that will be the whole puzzle.

11. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'?
I've known plenty of people who were born BEFORE sliced bread. :-) Those people!
Besides, that ...
~~~ Simple equipment for Astrophotography!
~~~ The invention of digital cameras and computers.
~~~ Things that help you slice, not mutilate, cake layers. Husband's response to me reading my answers: "Sliced cake. Hey??! That's better than sliced bread, you're right."

12. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T.
Taste of Home magazine, tea kettles that whistle, tapes from long ago (okay, so New Kids on the block just came out of storage), tieback tassels for drapes, tomatoes with peppers(Ro-Tel and others).


13. Tell us where you were and something about what life was like when you were 20- 21.
I walked so many places on little adventures that I cherished. I had a simple glass of wine to commemorate the 21 milestone.

14. What's on the menu at your house this week?
Continuing to sample the Halloween treats (includes healthy snacks). I've cases of beans for Fall soups and I'm making a bunch of curries sometime or other this next month. Maybe experimenting with the dehydrator. Comfort foods from an old Taste of Home issue. Dutch Split Pea Soup. Using up a bunch of onions ... roast in my early Christmas present crockpot (the one from when we first got married, couldn't stand one more repair).

15. Something you recently purchased where a coupon was involved? Do you regularly shop with coupons?
A lot of companies choose not to be "participating locations" around here. Off the top of my head, I used a coupon code for some pantry cabinets.

You can participate in this meme HERE. :-)

Topics At Our House Today

-----What if Saturn 5 had exploded?



-----Why did the space shuttle program end? (Newsweek article from May 2020 when there was about to be historic SpaceX launch)

Predatory Fins has sturgeons for sale on their website. Albino and diamonds.
The question here was:
Are they related to sharks?
Answer:
Apparently not, though a lot of people wonder that. They have cartilage. Sturgeon migrate back and forth between salt and fresh water.
Further question:
Are they ancient like sharks?

Topics at our house today:
-----What if Japan hadn't attacked Pearl Harbor?
----Why some humans developed a taste for milk and some didn't?
----What if Deadpool became a vampire?

FrightFall!!!

And so it begins. This is my first read for the readathon that I joined this morning.
Actually, I've read this before but it was recently taken out of storage. I think there is at least one point where I was truly concerned if the characters were going to make it out in the original read ... who knows, maybe they don't-it was that long ago that I read this. The book came out in 2001.
Stephen King spoke highly of several of the author's previous works. I have also seen Dean Koontz refer to another of this author's books, The Walking, as unusually clever.

I am on page 32 of 438.

You can sign up for the readathon HERE. It is one that has an opportunity to win prizes.

Mmm. A selection of "best" taco recipes for me to browse.

-----Apple Butter Pie. It's in the running for Thanksgiving.
-----Upside Down Apple Dumpling Pie. I am a fan of "upside-down" desserts!
-----This comes under the category of Things I Did Not Know ... Campbell's has a Cream of Shrimp soup.
-----Garlic Cheese Ball {with Parmesan and Italian Herbs}

Adam Sandler - Werewolves of London (Live on The Late Show)

This pretty-much-entirely-serious performance was done in tribute to Warren Zevon. Good job, Mr. Sandler! :-)

Lake Street Dive - 'Lola (The Kinks Cover)' | The Bridge 909 in Studio

TV Studio A at KCPT in Kansas City, Missouri
Thing I want to do: Get a copy of The Kinks rendition on 45.

From headlines ... a man who still used his turn signal while fleeing the police.

Listening To ...

#SoundtrackOfMyDay

A few things to try ...

Mmm ... breakfast!


-----Crumpets with Caramel Butterscotch Syrup
-----Japanese Souffle Pancakes
____________________________________________

-----Hungarian egg drop soup – Savanyú tojásleves
-----Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad.Easy to make, inspired by the BLT. I am so looking foward to this one! I love playing with the classic taste of BLT!
-----No Churn Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream. I do have a fancy ice cream maker, but love making no churn!

The "Off the Grid" Readathon is done!

Today was the last day. I am currently 116 pages in ... that is 22 percent of the book and I am satisfied with my progress, given the responsibilities of Life. :-)
I am starting to get more hints of the "romance" part of the story that was  pointed out in the plot blurbs. Odds are the love story will be two characters that will have to go through unrest and/or tragedy to get to being a romance ... sigh. Anyway, this book was written in 2012 but the impeachment, partially on overstepping presidential powers, is a timely topic (given recent events).

The simple "assignment" of this readathon was to read a book by a black author. I restarted this one and didn't notice the stipulation of eschewing media ... so, I have been enjoying research on real-life people and making a list of portrayals that I want to see.

Ironically, this ended up next to a series that has Lincoln in it. John Jakes is also the author of The North and The South trilogy (remember the miniseries of each book had Patrick Swayze). Yes, the title of the first book, in the pile that is The Kent Chronicles, is "The Bastard."

From the best-selling author of The Emperor of Ocean Park and New England White, a daring reimagining of one of the most tumultuous moments in our nation’s past

Stephen L. Carter’s thrilling new novel takes as its starting point an alternate history: President Abraham Lincoln survives the assassination attempt at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. Two years later he is charged with overstepping his constitutional authority, both during and after the Civil War, and faces an impeachment trial . . .

Twenty-one-year-old Abigail Canner is a young black woman with a degree from Oberlin, a letter of employment from the law firm that has undertaken Lincoln’s defense, and the iron-strong conviction, learned from her late mother, that “whatever limitations society might place on ordinary negroes, they would never apply to her.” And so Abigail embarks on a life that defies the norms of every stratum of Washington society: working side by side with a white clerk, meeting the great and powerful of the nation, including the president himself. But when Lincoln’s lead counsel is found brutally murdered on the eve of the trial, Abigail is plunged into a treacherous web of intrigue and conspiracy reaching the highest levels of the divided government.

Here is a vividly imagined work of historical fiction that captures the emotional tenor of post–Civil War America, a brilliantly realized courtroom drama that explores the always contentious question of the nature of presidential authority, and a galvanizing story of political suspense."

HERE is an interview about the book and Carter's writing.


On ambition ...

There is a bit of punchline after this. :-)

Some Music and Some Viewing

The above video is making me want to revisit the movie (Working Girl, 1988). #BigBigHair #RomanticComedy


What I listened to this song in recently was the Netflix series "Castle Rock" which I have started watching from the second season ... the entrance of Annie from Misery. Tim Robbins is doing a good job in this series based on Stephen King's characters. Lizzy Kaplan's portrayal of Annie is mesmerizing (now I will be disappointed if the origin of all the quirky philosophies and mannerisms of Annie aren't explored more or made a movie). #PsychologicalHorror #Anthology #WednesdaysOnNetflix
(Look closely ... you may recognize Lizzy Caplan as the Goth sidekick in Mean Girls.)

-----Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Sherry Cream

Based on true events. It's currently on Redbox.

FACT: Chris Stapleton has written songs for both Kenney Chesney and Luke Bryan.


Written by Chris Stapleton:

Food and Music...Music and Food

I made:
Cauliflower Stuffing. This one doesn't look like it will become stuffing...and then it does. Taste is AWESOME! It tasted kind of like there were raisins (Husband said I could have added them). Yummy smell...you could tell it was stuffing once the final herbs were added. Cooking time was a lot more. I detest vegetable broth and used chicken.
We will be having this again. :-)



I made:

Greek Yogurt Curry Dip
Greek Yogurt Curry Dip is especially yummy when loaded on the veggie. It was afternoon, so the breakfast tray wake-up was swapped for bring Husband a Veggie Tray in bed. I shared a sampling and this recipe with a friend the next day...tasty recipes should be SHARED and SHARED.




I want to try:
-----30 Second Sangria.






I made:

Saucy Hungarian Potato Goulash

Listening To.....

Interested in Reading!"Who in the west has not heard of Wetzel, the daring borderer, the Boone of North-Western Virginia." Wills de Hass, 1851. Lewis Wetzel came of age near the end of the Revolutionary War and was an important participant in the twenty-year war between the woodland Indian Nations and the settlers of western Pennsylvania, western Virginia, and Kentucky. The novel, although classified as historical fiction, traces Wetzel's life over a period of more than twenty years, featuring events and the rich history that occurred in the upper Ohio River Valley, Kentucky, Ohio, and down the Mississippi to New Orleans. According to de Hass, a historian in the mid-nineteenth century, Wetzel's efforts were without parallel in border warfare."

Thing I like...the character Hope's eye makeup on "Days of Our Lives."
It looks like Hope will be going to prison after shooting a person who had tormented her for decades (she was under the impression he had committed a crime that contributed to her husband's death and this villain was taunting her about that). So, I am predicting that she will go to prison and then change her mind and finally fight to defend herself.
-----The producer has said that anyone who dies on Days from Sept. 2015 onward will stay dead. Stefano "The Pheonix" DiMera will not be rising from the ashes this time.

In My Life.....

Thank you to Husband. 5 beautiful roses.
Part of an ongoing love story: Husband's New Year's Resolution was to buy me a flower(s) every month...real, faux, whatever. They make me smile and feel special. I like flowers so much.
Bits and pieces: The vase usually holds an arrangement that I did for my Mother...she loved blue and the vase was a part of her Mother's Day one year.
Of course: Of course, I will take another picture of my flowers tomorrow. :-)

Our dog would so freak out if I got this Andrew Zimmern hoodie!
They come in orange and slate.

-----A recipe for Sesame Orange Shrimp that I found via PBS.org/food/recipes.
~~~Husband's tummy is sensitive but ours will likely have a tiny amount of crushed pepper added to the oil.
~~~I was happy to see that our local Walmart officially carries 3 sesame seed options...standard, white organic and toasted...of course, they will likely actually only have the standard. #SmallTownLaments


-----We are making Hungarian Chicken Goulash soon. The cooking for this recipe is done in an authentic style.
-----Curried Cider-Braised Pork Chops

I am reading this. We are still planning to build grape arbors. :-)

I am on page 35. There don't seem to be any recipes. Right now the book is talking about when healthy and vegetarian options were introduced to ball parks. The last part of the book is a culinary tour of all 30 major league ball parks.

Re-Read: The Art of Social Media

This is a re-read because I have put in a lot of time and had a lot of experiences with social media. I want to make sure my review avoids bias as much as possible (just assuming that a chapter I skimmed is more of what I already heard). I also want to give the chapters that don't apply to me more of a chance...that might be a helpful thing.  Anyway, working on that re-read.

Of course, I am a bio reader and this time the bio was at the beginning of the book. I already knew a lot about Guy Kawasaki but I had only vaguely read in a tweet or blog post somewhere of his fellowship...a fellow at the Haas School of Business (UC Berkley). Everyone has their passions...I am fascinated by academic programs and possibilities. Haas is the second-oldest business school in the United States! So, for me, my fascination leads to me exploring any lecture, opencourseware or MOOC I can get my hands on...stay tuned. (That post will be entitled "Haas at Home.")

15 pages on profiles? I should say that means profiles are important. Indeed looking around on the internet, I see that profiles are really changing for some. I see people "founding" as much as they can (claiming the origins of hashtags for instance...meaning they started a chat). Does your profile stand out and show you are an individual?
So, one of today's task was revamping my profile. I have posted a "Before" photo below (screenshots aren't working).

Of couse, it's over there in the sidebar...but this is the text of my latest profile edit:
"Profile Updated: November 20, 2014. I am blessed with being a homemaker and mother. I own about 5.5 thousand books and our family has around 8 thousand! I am the founder of "Project Barbara's Rainbow"...a fledgling book giveaway program. I believe in life-long learning and can often be found glued to the screen in a MOOC course. I am very interested in urban farming and self-sufficiency. Someday, I hope to make advancements in soil science and irrigation in terms of urban farming. One of my favorite books is The Complete Tightwad Gazette. Huge Douglas Adams and Roger Zelazny fan. Avid Armchair Traveler. I like roadtrips and the goal is for our children to see a good part of every state before they turn 18. I am married to the vocalist of "Once Were Serpents." My family is involved with Asylum Ministries and AudioFeed Music Festival. I have started hosting virtual book tours.I have extensive editing and writing experience. I hope that something made you smile today."

Friday's Dinner was Yummy!

Swai Two Ways. Friday's dinner.

Swai is a Vietnamese fish that is light like tilapia. It is also called iridescent shark or striped catfish (but is neither).

Side comment: I want very much to try shark.

---Roasted Swai Fish with Tomatoes, Basil and Chives. The chives were a pleasant addition from our windowsill each time I trim the plant down I smile because it reminds me of giving a Chia Pet a haircut). We also put a little McCormick's Garlic Sea Salt on top.

One of two fish recipes ready to go in the oven.

The cookie sheet is from my childhood.

-----Sweet Dijon Basa Swai Fish.
We used Rock Island, Illinois' legendary Boetje's Dutch stone ground mustard instead of Dijon.
Dill weed was sprinkled on top of the adults' portions.



There was also:
Seasoned Browned rice (leftovers).
Sweet onions sauteed in olive oil, Trader Joe's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and freshly ground black pepper.

There was a marked difference between the two Swai dishes. The tomato dish was heavier and the Dijon was very light.
Husband and I both remarked that we wished we had some wine to go with...he wished for some white wine and I would have loved a Pinot Grigio.

We will definitely be adding Swai to our fish repertoire. :-)

One of the roses that Husband gave me recently.
He brings me all of our long-stemmed roses and it is very romantic. :-)

Things I am looking forward to:
-----Sometime within the next week we are going to see Maleficent.
-----Turning the Star Trek movie back on after I get done typing this. "Into Darkness" is on Netflix.

-----Yesterday,Michelle Obama announced an initiative to end Veteran Homelessness by 2015.
-----In California, voters have approved a plan to spend $600 million building homes for homeless veterans. This money will be raised by the sale of bonds.

Husband photographed the beauty of the nightshade before removing it. :-)

It is the first nightshade for this year.

The first nightshade I have seen at this house.