Hello!
As we end the merry month of April
and begin May tomorrow, I have a
very simple recipe for you.
Our librarian at school has been
making this for our treat days recently
and it get's rave reviews. She gave me
the recipe and I made it for Mr. Ken to
take to the office.
This would be great for any upcoming
parties or gatherings that you may have
over the next month.
Ann's Cowboy Caviar
2 cans of black beans rinsed and drained
2 cans of corn drained
1 bottle of Medium Pace Picante Sauce
Throw it all in a bowl, mix well then chill.
Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.
If need be add more beans and corn plus
Picante Sauce for a large crowd.
So easy and so fast! Enjoy
If you Google "Cowboy Caviar" you will
find a variety of versions of this recipe.
Most have more veggies in them.
Checked with Mr. Ken and he said it was
a "Big Hit!"
~Keep on Dreaming~
Hello!
Has Spring arrived where you are?
It has here in the Midwest, trees are
blooming, the grass is turning green,
flowers are popping out and as are
the allergies!
So, since all of this is going on hope-
fully where you are, I thought we would
talk flowers today.
*All of the pics in this post were taken
by me on a Garden Tour several years
ago.
Do you like flowers, which one is your
favorite, do you grow them in the ground
or in pots?
Do you know what your favorite flower
says about you? Well, let's see.
*I chose random pics from my file they
probably will not match the text.
Roses
They can have several meanings depending
on their color.
Red symbolizes LOVE. Pink symbolizes
GRACE, White symbolizes PURITY, Yellow symbolizes NEW BEGINNINGS and a
Lavender rose symbolizes LOVE at FIRST
SIGHT.
Of course we could go on and on.
The Rose is the state flower of New York
and a darker red one is the state flower of Oklahoma.
What does a Rose say about you?
You almost always think with your heart.
You are classic, timeless and never going
out of style.
Daisies
The origin of the word Daisy come from
an Old English word that means "day's
eye." They represent innocence, purity
and hope.
Gerbera Daisies which come in bright
colors signify "cheerfulness."
What does a Daisy say about you?
You can find the good in any bad situation
and you are probably a morning person
too.
Daffodil
It is one of the most popular flowers and
represents friendship or regard for some-
one. They are the national flower of Wales.
What does a Daffodil say about you?
You put your family and friends first. You
enjoy a good party, you like to have parties
for others.
Your style shows your fun laid back
personality.
Sunflowers
They signify adoration (because they turn
to face the sun), as well as dedicated love
and pure thoughts.
The Sunflower is the state flower of my
state, Kansas.
It is also the national flower of Ukraine.
They are the world's largest exporter of
Sunflower Oil.
What does a Sunflower say about you?
Making friends is your favorite activity,
you thrive around people and you love to
be the center of attention.
Your style is bright and warm and you are
never without a statement piece.
I think we will end this post now cause I
could write on this topic forever, such
interesting facts.
~Keep on Dreaming~
Regular programming commences
today.
Decks of cards, we all have them but
have you used them this way?
1. Make coasters?
Glue card faces inside the lid of a
mason jar and cover with Mod Podge,
making them waterproof.
2. Burn calories? Yes, really :)
Use a deck of cards to mix up
your exercise routine.
Designate a workout to each suit
and determine the number of reps
based on whatever card you draw.
3. A shoe horn?
Having difficulty getting a shoe on?
Use a playing card as a shoe horn to
slip the shoe on your foot.
4. A screwdriver?
Is the screw loose on your glasses?
Use the edge of a playing card to
tighten the screw.
*My question on this--is the
card heavy enough to do this?
5. And last but not least--
We all have done this one
before.
Got a wobbly table, well fold a
playing card in half and slip it
under the leg.
There you have it. Save your old
worn out cards for some of these
and use decks with missing cards
for other ideas.
One more thing--did you know?
A deck of cards resembles the
calendar?
There are 52 cards in a deck and
weeks in a year.
There are four suits for the seasons.
Twelve court cards for the months.
*This is pretty cool!
~Keep on Dreaming~
A little break in the challenge action.
I must admit that this challenge is
becoming a challenge.
We had a beautiful sunset occurred
this evening between storms.
~Keep on Dreaming~
M--Malaysia
Today we are going in a different direction
than we have been. We have explored main
dishes, side dishes desserts and maybe a
breakfast or to here and there.
Our tour today will give us a look at spices
used here.
Some of the spices will be familiar and
some not so. Here we go.
Belacan--a shrimp paste that MUST be
cooked not eaten raw. It is strong in taste
and a little goes a long way.
Curry powder--is a mix of spices which
may include fennel, coriander, cumin,
chili pepper, star anise, cinnamon,
cardamom and depending on the variety
much more. Commercial curry powder
differs brand to brand.
Daun Kesum--also known as daun laska.
It is an herb with fragrant leaves similar
to mint.
Pandan--is another fragrant leafy herb,
it's leaves are long and narrow. It's
fragrance is a mix of vanilla and tea rose.
As you can imagine this one is used in
desserts. But also in some savory dishes.
In Malaysia it is grown in backyards, here
in the states it can be found in the frozen
section of Asian grocery stores.
Serai or lemongrass makes a recipe smell
fresh.
That is the short version on spices here. If
you need more info, Google--spices in
Malaysia.
Getting caught up, see you tomorrow.
~Keep on Dreaming~
L--Luxembourg
Today we are going to indulge our
sweet tooth. We are talking desserts
on trip around the world.
Some fabulous dessert found are:
Crème Brulee a traditional vanilla
bean custard
Profiteroles are cream puff pastries
served with ice cream and chocolate
sauce.
Caramelized Lemon Tart with
Whipped Cream
Biscotti
**************
Elsewhere in the southern part
Luxembourg is an area called Gutland
that has a variety of orchards with
apples, plums, cherries and berries.
While there the blogger at Global Table
Adventure made a Dainty Apple Cake--
Appelkuch.
Well, I don't know about you but these
all sound delish!!
Scroll down for letter K.
~Keep on Dreaming~
K--Kuwait
The cuisine here is mixture of Arabian,
Persian, Indian and Mediterranean.
A prominent dish is Machboos--a rice
based specialty made with Basmati and
seasoned with spices then chicken or
mutton are added. No pork is used for
religious reasons.
Shawarma is served in many places.
It is a wrap of thinly sliced meat,
turshi which is pickled cucumber,
carrot or turnip and salad.
The meats are grilled separately on
tall spits. Fries, onions and tomatoes
are added to this dish. Mayo and
ketchup are added as sauces.
*Always wanted to know what this
was and now I know.
Balah El Sham is churro like Middle
Eastern fritters. They are crunchy on
the outside and soft on the inside.
Anyone been to Kuwait?
~Keep on Dreaming~
K--Kenya
Kenyan desserts to try:
Click on this link:
Kenya
Maandzi--a sweet donut
Coconut and Sweet Potato
Pudding
Fruit with Chocolate Sauce
Some of these sounded yummy, if
you try them let me know.
~Keep on Dreaming~
J--Jamaica
Jamaica is full of a variety of foods and
tastes, the cuisine consists of a mixture
cooking techniques, flavors, spices and
influences of the indigenous people of
the island plus the Africans, Spanish,
Chinese and Indian who have made the
island their home. A wide variety of sea-
food, tropical fruits and meats are
available.
Wikipedia has a great article listing
foods and desserts below is a few they
have listed.
1. Breadfruit--served roasted, fried or
broiled.
2. Coco Bread--a sweet and starchy
bread eaten with a Jamaican patty.
3. Curry goat and Chicken
4. Green bananas--eaten boiled and
sliced into chips.
5. Jamaican patty--a pastry filled with
meats or other ingredients.
6. Peppered Shrimp--spicy seasoned
and cooked.
7. Custard Apple
8. Mango
9. Guava
10. Passion Fruit and Pineapple
Sounds yummy what do ya think?
~Keep on Dreaming~
I--Italy
Ciao!
We have landed in Italy today.
If I had to choose my favorite all
time food it probably would be
Italian, might have something to
do with the yummy carbs. :)
According to Wikipedia---"Italian
cuisine is noted for it's regional
diversity, abundance of difference
in taste and is known to be one of
the most popular in the world,
with influences abroad."
Some of the different types of Italian
cuisine:
1. Zuppe e salse (soups and sauces)
2. Pane (bread)
3. Common pizzas
4. Pasta varieties
5. Pasta dishes
6. Rice dishes
7. Pesce (fish)
8. Carne (meat dishes and cured meats)
9. Verdura (vegetables)
10. Nut dishes
11. Vino (wine)
12. Formaggi (cheese)
13. Desserts and pastry
14. Caffee' (coffee)
Plus many more items from various
regions.
Now for my faves:
Pizza, Spaghetti, Lasagna, Baked Ziti,
Garlic Bread, Baked Ravioli and Gelato.
Italian Restaurants we enjoy are Olive
Garden, a Mom and Pop place in our
neighborhood, Spin Pizza, Pizza Shoppe
plus we enjoy Italian faves from other
restaurants don't just serve Italian.
Where do you weigh in on this delightful
subject?
Bon Appetit!
~Keep on Dreaming~
H--Hawaii
Warm breezes, lots of sun and fruity
drinks. Doesn't that sound divine?
We are hitting the air and checking
out food across the ocean.
From the website Migrationology:
"Many traditional Hawaiian are
dishes originally brought over
from the Pacific Polynesian
islands."
Though now there is a diverse
range of ethnicities, all adding
their flavors though some still
believe in traditional tastes of
the state.
Foods found around the islands.
1. Poi--a thick paste made from
Taro Root. It is either steamed,
baked or pounded. Pounding
involves adding water to make
a very sticky pudding like
consistency.
2. Laulau--made from the Taro
leaves. Pork is wrapped in layers
of the leaves and cooked in an
underground hot rock oven for
hours until it turns soft and
smoky flavor.
3. Kalua Pig--another giant of
Hawaiian cuisine.
This is cooked in an under-
ground oven known as an imu,
the pork slow roasts so it becomes
very tender and retains a smoky
flavor. It is similar to American
pulled pork but without the sauce.
4. To top off a Hawaiian meal most
enjoy the island fruit like Pineapple
and Lilikoi (Passion fruit).
Aloha until tomorrow!!
~Keep on Dreaming~
