When you get all you want and you struggle for self,
and the world makes you king for a day,
then go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say.
For it isn’t your mother, your father or wife
whose judgment upon you must pass,
but the man, whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass.
He’s the fellow to please,
never mind all the rest.
For he’s with you right to the end,
and you’ve passed your most difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend.
You can fool the whole world,
down the highway of years,
and take pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
if you’ve cheated the man in the glass.
~Anonymous
Monthly Archives: February 2012
Name Your Own Star in the Universe
If you would like to name your own star in the universe then follow the link below. Select a name and follow the instructions. If you do not get a confirmation email, just hit resend confirmation and it will magically appear, then copy and paste the link and continue. You will also be able to print out a certificate and yep, it’s all free, unless you want to pay, but not necessary.
What better way to show our missing ones the way home.
No Power – No TV – What To Do
When the power goes out, one cannot cook, unless if you are like us, we have a gas back-up, but you cannot be on the Internet, cannot watch your usual shows on TV, cannot listen to your favorite music on the radio or stereo, unless you have a battery powered radio, which we do. Without lights you cannot read, because it puts too much strain on your eyes trying to use a flashlight or the kerosene lantern, so what to do!! Well I can think of something, but, will not write about it here..hehe!! 🙂 🙂
On top of all that, we also have no telephone, as they went out today as well. I guess this is what life is like living in the countryside.
So to entertain myself during this time, I simply got out my beads and did some playing around. I have a magnifier with a light on it, powered by a battery naturally, so I was in for some fun.
The end result is this bracelet, which I call my light of the dark. I have had these beads for a while and wanted to make something with them, just was not sure what, so last night it came to me in the darkness. Since I am a LEO, I had to add my LEO charm.
My Light of the Dark
Metaphysics Defined
When we hear the word Metaphysics, what comes to mind? Often times the word is associated with Neo-Pagan cultures or those who follow the Wiccan paths, but in reality it is simply another way of investigating yourself as a person that occupies space in this Universe.Metaphysics and Metaphysical supplies are for all beliefs and spirituality.
It is a way of seeking out what goes on around us and why. The dictionary defines Meta as, “indicating change, transcending or going beyond”. It describes Physical as, “all or relating to the body, as distinguished from the mind or spirit, of or relating to or resembling material things or nature, the physical universe”. Sounds complicated, which can be, but can also be very easy.
When you put the two words together Metaphysics, you are learning and working with the things that go on around you in this physical world; things that do affect your inner soul and your physical body
If we learn about our physical bodies, we will be able to gain an insight into the physical world around us. Yet going beyond the physical world and the physical body, we must see what makes us and the universal around us tick.
- How do we exist
- How does what we do affect our inner souls and our bodies
- The Universe, and how can we make it all connect for a healthier lifestyle and maintain a healthy body and mind?
Without getting too deep into physics, psychology and theory, the simple answer is live life to the fullest in a healthy and realistic way, be ever mindful of what your body is telling you when you feel depressed, run-down or sluggish. There are a lot of things that we can change in our world today, but in return there are so many things that we have absolutely no control over, it is going to take place with or without our approval.
Metaphysicians have taken the time to study and have taken into consideration the things that we, as physical human beings, can do in order to colaborate with the forces of nature in a positive and uplifting manner.
My personal final thought is: Be all you can be, stay positive and be the type of person that everyone sees as an influence and as a person who takes their responsibilities to Mother Nature and to oneself very seriously. Treat your inner soul and your outter body with respect. Remember it is not always about what you say or do, but the way you say and do it.
©MurphyPagan 2012
New Variation on Telephone Collection Scam Related to Delinquent Payday Loans
This I feel is very important, therefore I am posting it in my blog for all to be able to read. The actual source is located at the bottom of the article. It is NOT written by me.
The IC3 continues to receive complaints from victims of payday loan telephone collection scams. As previously reported in the IC3 Alert posted December 1, 2010, the typical payday loan scam involves a caller who claims the victim is delinquent on a payday loan and must make payment to avoid legal consequences. Callers pose as representatives of the FBI, Federal Legislative Department, various law firms, or other legitimate-sounding agencies, and claim to be collecting debts for companies such as United Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Net, or other Internet check-cashing services. The fraudsters relentlessly call the victim’s home, cell phone, and place of employment in attempts to obtain payment. The callers refuse to provide information regarding the alleged payday loan, provide any documentation, and become abusive when questioned.
The IC3 has recently observed a variation of this scam in which the caller tells the victim there are outstanding warrants for their arrest for non-payment and hacking into a named business with the intent of obtaining customer information. During the perpetration of this crime, the caller demands payment via debit/credit card; in other cases, the caller further instructs victims to obtain a prepaid card to cover the payment.
The high-pressure collection tactics used by the fraudsters have also evolved. In one recent complaint, a person posing as a process server actually made a personal appearance at the victim’s place of employment. In another instance a fake process server came to victim’s home. In both cases, after claiming to be serving the victim with a court summons, the alleged process server indicated the victim could avoid going to court if the victim provided a debit card number for repayment of the loan.
If you are contacted by someone who is trying to collect a debt that you do not owe, you should:
- Contact your local law enforcement agencies if you feel you are in immediate danger;
- Contact your bank(s) and credit card companies;
- Contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on your file;
- If you have received a legitimate loan and want to verify that you do not have any outstanding obligation, contact the loan company directly;
- File a complaint at www.IC3.gov
A Website to Remember
It isn’t often that I locate a website that I am willing to write a dedicated article to, but in my research yesterday I came across one that has me absolutely fascinated beyond belief.
The website has so much to offer, all of which are free. It is well presented, easily navigated, pleasant to the eyes and will keep you around for a while. Just exploring all that it has to offer.
I will warn you, tho, have plenty of room on your hard drive, plenty of CD’s or DVD’s to burn or perhaps use a cloud storage space like dropbox.com (http://db.tt/MSV7cXrB), because you will want to savor every bit of information they offer.
This is mainly a cookbook/recipe website, but in looking around they also offer free software that you will find very practicle either with recipe collection and data or personal universal conversion and what about a fitness aparatus. They have cooking videos, ethnic recipes and a whole heap more. I seriously cannot say enough about this website. That is very unusual for me to be able to say that. I can say nothing bad about this website and I feel that you must take some time and check it out for yourself.
If you love cooking and are looking for some great recipes, e-books, software, videos and an all around resource, then I must encourage you to visit this site.
Slow Cooker Mac-n-Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
- 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Directions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker; add butter. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, 3 cups cheese, evaporated milk, soup and 2% milk. Pour over macaroni mixture and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with paprika. Yield: 10 servings.
20 Extraordinary Uses for Milk
Because we are getting a lot of milk these days and it’s stacking up on us, I was searching for things that can be done with milk. Well I came across this very interesting list and wanted to share it with you here. I have placed the source at the bottom, for I believe it is only right to give credit where credit is due.
Enjoy, and use that milk!! 
- Take frozen fish and leave in a dish of milk to thaw. This improves the flavour and texture so that it tastes just as good as fresh caught fish.
- A quarter cup of powdered milk added to the water when boiling corn on the cob makes it taste sweeter and gives a sifter texture.
- Dip half a lemon in a little milk and use to cleanse stained fingers. The lemon lifts the stain and the milk soothes the skin.
- Use milk to shave with if you have nothing else to use as a barrier.
- Make your own silver polish with sour milk. You can add a drop of lemon juice, or vinegar to the milk if it isn’t already sour and it will immediately curdle. Soak the silverware in the milk for around thirty minutes, then wash in mild soap and rinse well. Your silver will sparkle.
- Dab milk onto mild sunburn and it will cool the skin and prevent any further damage.
- Mix a little powdered milk into a paste with water and a small pinch of salt. Use this paste to relief insect bites. The enzymes in the milk neutralise the irritants in the bites.
- Dry skin can be repaired by rubbing with a little cold milk. Allow the skin to absorb what it needs and wash the rest away. Do this two or three times a day until the problem is solved.
- Use a thick paste of powdered milk and water to remove make-up. Remember to rinse well after removing the paste.
- Milk Is An Excellent Facial Cleanser:
Make a very thick, smooth paste of dried milk powder and use as a face mask. Spread the cream on the face and relax for half an hour before washing it off. Your skin will be soft, clean and glowing. - Make yourself a Cleopatra foamy bath by adding a cup of powdered milk as the bath is filling. Your skin will feel wonderful. This method of softening and beautifying the body was used by the ancient Greeks and Roman and is used today in Japan
- Japanese Milk Bath:
A paste of fine oatmeal and milk will remove stains and dirt from hands. This is an excellent way to pamper hands after working in the garden. - Liquid milk cleans patent leather shoes to a gleaming shine. Simple rub them with a little milk on a soft cloth. Leave to dry and then buff them up.
- Ink stains on clothing can be removed by soaking the area in milk. This can take anything from half an hour to overnight to remove the stain completely. It depends very much on the type of ink.
- Ice cold non fat milk will sooth the discomfort caused by poison ivy.
- Clean the leaves on plants such as rubber plants and yucca, with skimmed milk and a soft absorbent cloth. Make sue that you wipe away the residue.
- Make mock cream. Mix together one cup of dried milk powder and one cup of iced water. Whisk until it thickens.
- If you like to add essential oils to your bath water, mix them with a little milk before adding to the water. The milk helps to disperse the oil and stops the tub getting slippery.
- Milk is also good to use as carrier oil for essential oils during massage.
- Fine cracks in china plates and cups can sometimes be repaired by boiling them in milk. The milk reacts with the kaolin the china and closes the crack.
Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/20-extraordinary-uses-for-milk/#ixzz1n0flyNgE
South African Melktert (Milk Tart)
Since I am living for the moment in South Africa, I thought it was appropriate to put this very customery recipe on my blog. We use fresh farm milk for these, but store bought works just as good. Our fresh farm milk actually gives it a creamier taste and it is ohhhhhhhhhhhhh soooooooooooooo good!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups milk
- 3 egg white
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat a 9 inch deep dish pie plate with vegetable oil cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat until light and fluffy. Sift in the cake flour, baking powder and salt, and stir until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and milk. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Fold into the batter. Pour into the prepared pie plate, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Continue to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set when you gently jiggle the pie. Serve hot or cold.
Homemade Fabric Conditioner
This post goes along with the previous one regarding making your own liquid laundry soap. We all know how expensive it can be when shopping for our laundry cleaning products. When we can save a few bucks and do things ourselves, why not do it?
This has been in my files for years as well, so I thought I should and would share it here. The source will be posted at the bottom so in case you want to visit the site for yourself.
So, let’s start the real matter and create your very own homemade fabric conditioner. You can do it in your kitchen sink, your bathtub or your backyard. Anywhere is okay as long as the place is ready to take the possible mess.
Prepare one part of vinegar, one part of baking soda and two parts of hot water. You may also add essential oil if you wish. Have a pail that can hold double the amount of all these ingredients — the larger is always the better.
Mix hot water and baking soda in the pail. Stir this mixture until the baking powder is dissolved.
Add vinegar to the stirred mixture. The combination of baking soda and vinegar causes fizzing. That is why you need a large pail that can take care of the fizzing.
- When the fizzing stops, add essential oil and slowly mix the ingredients again.
There, you finally have your homemade fabric softener. Make sure that you cover the pail because if you left that open, the fabric conditioner’s effectiveness might not be sealed in. You may choose to pour the mixture in clean bottles as long as you can cap them tightly.
Another reminder when using this homemade fabric softener is to mix the ingredients again because the baking soda will not be totally dissolved. After that, just take a quarter cup of your very own fabric conditioner and add it to your rinse cycle.
Now, you may be thinking why vinegar is used as fabric conditioner. Well, you may not know it but vinegar is even better than commercial fabric conditioners. Vinegar can make your towels and other clothes more absorbent. Fabric conditioners in the market, on the other hand, can build up on the towel, making the towel less absorbent over time. Another wonder of vinegar is it softens the laundry while removing left over soap residue and static cling from the cloth.
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
I found this tutorial a while back about 3 years ago and now I thought it was worth sharing here. The source will be posted on the bottom. I believe this will save all of us some money that we can use for other things.
Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe:
What you’ll need:
*Box of Borax Natural Laundry Boost (this can be found in the laundry soap aisle)
*Box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (baking soda will NOT work as a substitute)
*1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap, a stain removing laundry soap (ANY bar of soap like Ivory, Dove, et. will work, but we like the extra stain-fighting in this one)
*Scented oil of your choice (optional)
*Five gallon bucket
*Empty laundry detergent bottles or milk jugs
Instructions for 5-gallons of liquid detergent:
1. Grate your bar of soap with a cheese grater. Careful, the Fels-Naptha soap really looks like cheddar cheese–kids will want to eat it!
2. Put the grated soap in a sauce pan with 6 cups water. Heat soap and water until the soap melts.
3. Add 1 cup washing soda and 1 cup Borax and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat.
4. Pour 1 gallon hot water into your 5-gallon bucket. Add your soap mixture and stir well. Add about 3 1/2 more gallons of hot water to the bucket and stir again. Add your scented oil now if you choose to. We used about 2 tsp. honeysuckle essential oil. Just add enough until it smells good to you.
5. Pour the liquid mixture into your empty bottles (you might want to try a funnel). Or, leave it in the 5-gallon bucket–it will just be a little more difficult to use. Let the mixture sit for about 24 hours. It will thicken almost to a gel.
6. Shake your bottle well before each use. Use 1/2 cup of detergent for large loads.
The Arm & Hammer Washing Soda was about $3 to $4, and the Borax about the same price. The Fels-Naptha bar ran us about $1.25. You will get about four 5-gallon buckets of laundry detergent from one box of each. With tax, we figure that works out to be about $2.50 for 5 gallons. Sweet! That could cover about 160 loads of wash! You can’t get a better deal than that.
You might like to visit this website for other things you might like. I just LOVE websites like hers.
Whoopie Pie Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
INGREDIENTS:
2.5 Cups of FLOUR
1/2 C. SHORTENING
2 EGGS
1 C. SUGAR
5 T. COCCOA
1 C. MILK
1 t. SODA
1 t. BAKING POWDER
PINCH OF SALT
1 t. VANILLA
Cream together everything until it’s well mixed & fluffy looking. Drop by spoonfuls onto a well greased cookie sheet. Spread batter out until it’s app. 3″ across & 2/3″ thick. Batter doesn’t spread much during the baking process, so the final size will be what you create on the pan before baking.
Bake app. 10 minutes. You’ll know when they’re done when the surface no longer appears shiny & a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool.
FILLING:
1/2 CUP SHORTENING
1 TBSP. MILK
1 CUP OF CONFECTIONER (POWDERED) SUGAR
1 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
1 tsp. VANILLA
5 TSP. ALMOND EXTRACT
Cream together filling ingredients & then spread filling onto half of your pies & finally add another pie on top to make a ‘sandwich’.
*For a lower calorie version of this recipe you may substitute all sugar with ‘Splenda’ or equivalent sugar substitute…but seriously with this much shortening, you may as well just indulge!
Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) Scam Alerts February 17, 2012
This report, which is based upon information from law enforcement and complaints submitted to the IC3, details recent cyber crime trends, new twists to previously-existing cyber scams, and announcements.
Mystery Shopper Scam To Evaluate Wire Transfer Services
The IC3 has recently received over 250 complaints reporting a new twist to the online employment scam. The scam involves individuals who responded to online ads or were contacted via e-mail as a result of their resume being posted on job websites. The perpetrator posed as a research company and requested participants to complete a paid survey regarding services provided at wire transfer locations to improve the effectiveness of the company’s money-transfer services.
Complainants were hired and then mailed a cashier’s check or money order. They received instructions to cash the check/money order at their local bank, keep a portion as payment, and wire the remaining amount via wire transfer to a designated recipient. Victims were then asked to immediately e-mail their employer with the transfer number, amount wired, recipient’s name and address, and the name of the wire transfer location evaluated. Upon sending the information, victims received a questionnaire form regarding their overall wire transfer experience to complete and return. Those who did not promptly follow through with the instructions received threatening e-mails stating if they did not respond within 24 hours, their information would be forwarded to the FBI and they could face 25 years in jail.
Shortly after the transactions, victims were informed by their banks that the checks were counterfeit and were held responsible for reimbursing their banks. Most victims owed their bank over $2,500.
Spam Referencing U.S. Military Members And Gaddafi
Criminals continue to explore new avenues to lure victims, most recently by claiming to be a US military contractor, who was performing reconstruction work in Libya. Fraudsters sent unsolicited e-mails claiming that several metal boxes were found in cellars of high-rise buildings built and occupied by Muammar Gaddafi. Each box purportedly contained large sums of money, in addition to guns, armor, bullets, and drugs. The e-mails requested the recipient’s assistance with transferring the money out of Libya. The fraudsters also told the e-mail recipients that they were expected to receive, secure, and protect the boxes until the overseas assignment elapsed and promised the victims a 30 percent profit.
Often times in online scams, once communication with the fraudsters begins, they will request personal information, including but not limited to bank account details, claiming funds are needed to cover various expenses.
Be wary of any unsolicited e-mail, especially those requesting personal information or soliciting the submission of money for any reason. Unsolicited e-mails should not be opened, as they often contain viruses or other malicious software.
Pox Party Online Advertisements
Recently, the IC3 received a complaint from an individual reporting an advertisement on a social media site that offered ways to obtain “natural immunity” from the chickenpox by sharing lollipops licked by children infected with the virus. Parents have been known to take their child to a “Pox Party” as an alternative to vaccinating children from varicella, otherwise known as chickenpox, but sending virus-covered lollipops through the mail is against Federal law.
One individual posted a message stating “fresh batch of pox in Nashville shipping of suckers, spit, and Q-tips available tomorrow 50 dollars.
”
As a disclaimer, the social media site posted the following notice on their page:
“This page has never condoned the mailing of infectious diseases. For our members: The mailing of infectious items, such as lollipops, rags, etc, is a federal offense. This page is not private and can been seen by members and non members alike. You may post on the page that you have the pox and are willing to share in YOUR AREA but please keep your specifics in private messages between members. Again, this page can be seen by anyone and mailing is a federal offense. We are all intelligent adults but these guidelines will help protect your privacy.”
According to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) website, www.cdc.gov, chickenpox is spread in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can also be spread by touching or breathing in the virus particles that come from the chickenpox blisters. The CDC also discourages chickenpox parties because the disease can be serious. Dangerous diseases like hepatitis A and strep can be transmitted via saliva according to the CDC’s website. Therefore, not only is the contaminated candy not likely to provide exposure to chickenpox, it could expose children to an entirely different disease.
Source: www.ic3.gov
Basic Crochet Stitches
Chain Stitch (ch)
Catch thread with hook (hk) and draw through loop (lp), repeat for desired number of stitches (st) with a consistent tension. Sometimes this takes a lot of practice. But it all comes together.
Single Crochet (sc)
Insert hook under 2 top strands, draw thread through, thread overhook ( hk) and draw through 2 loops ( lps) on hook (hk).
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Inserthook ( hk) under 2 top strands, draw thread through 1 loop (lp) on hook ( hk)
Double Crochet (dc)
Thread over hook (hk), insert hook (hk) under 2 top strands and draw through, thread over hook (hk) once and draw through 2 loops (lps), thread over hook (hk) once again and draw through 2 loops (lps)
3 Double Crochet in Same Stitch
After completion of 1double crochet ( dc), work 2nd and 3rd double crochet (dc) into the same space
Half Double Crochet (hdc)
Thread over hook (hk), insert hook (hk) under 2 top strands, thread overhook ( hk) once and draw through all 3 lps
Treble Crochet
Thread over hook (hk) twice, insert hook (hk) under 2 top strands and draw through, thread over hook (hk) once and draw through 2 loops (lps), then repeat 2 more times
Double Treble Crochet (dtr)
Thread over hook (hk) 3 times, insert hook (hk) under 2 top strands and draw through, thread over hook (hk) once and draw through 2 loops (lps), then repeat 3 more times
3 Double Crochet Puff (3-dc puff)
Work 3 incomplete double crochet (dc) in same st (retaining last loop (lp) of each double crochet (dc) on hook (hk), thread over hook (hk) and draw through all loops (lps) on hook (hk), chain (ch) 1 to tighten stitch (st)
5 Double Crochet Popcorn (5-dc pop)– popcorn
Work 5 double crochet (dc) in same stitch (st). Drop loop (lp) from hook (hk), insert hook (hk) in first double crochet (dc) and draw loop (lp) of 5th double crochet (dc) through, chain (ch) 1 to tighten stitch (st)
Round picot
Chain (ch) 3, insert hook (hk) into stitch (st) at base of chain (ch), thread over hook (hk) and draw through loops (lps) (use chain (ch) 5 for bigger picots).
If you wish to watch free videos of how to do these, please go to the following link: www.hassdesign.com
Caroline’s Firecrackers
Ingredients
- 15 ounces vanilla almond bark
- 1 (8.5 ounce) bag spicy cheese-flavored cornmeal snack (such as Cheetos® Flamin’ Hot)
Directions
- Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Eatible Rice Paper works wonderfully well.
- Melt the almond bark in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Mix the cheese-flavored snacks into the melted almond bark until fully incorporated.
- Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Allow to cool completely.
- Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.
Heavenly Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana, thawed for 10 to 15 minutes
- 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
- 1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons flax seed meal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 2/3 cup frozen blueberries
Directions
- Cut banana into small pieces and place into the bowl of a blender. Add the soy milk, yogurt, flax seed meal, and honey. Blend on lowest speed until smooth, about 5 seconds. Gradually add the blueberries while continuing to blend on low. Once the blueberries have been incorporated, increase speed, and blend to desired consistency.
Grilled Chicken Wings with Sweet Red Chili and Peach Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ounce) jar Smucker’s® Orchard’s Finest™ Coastal Valley Peach Apricot Preserves
- 1 cup Thai sweet red chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
- 1 (2 1/2 pound) bag chicken wing sections
Directions
- Combine peach and apricot preserves, sweet red chili sauce, lime juice and cilantro in a medium bowl. Place half sweet red chili and peach glaze in a serving bowl.
- Spray grill grates with no-stick cooking spray. Heat grill with medium heat. Grill wings about 20 to 25 minutes turning several times until juices run clear. Dip wings in remaining glaze. Grill wings an additional 3 to 5 minutes turning once. Serve warm with additional reserved glaze on the side.
Tip: Glaze is also great brushed on grilled salmon, chicken, pork tenderloin or smoked sausage.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
- 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
- 1 (1 pound) loaf processed cheese food, cubed
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Directions
- In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until softened. Stir in broccoli, and cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat, and stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder.
- In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick.
Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry kidney beans
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 6 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups long grain white rice
Directions
- Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
- Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.
Quick Salmon with Herb Crust
12 oz. fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillets, 3/4-inch thick 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh oregano 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup sliced green onion 1 clove garlic 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice 2 tsp olive oil 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper Thaw salmon, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into two (6-ounce) pieces. Set aside. In the bowl of a food processor or a mini-chopper combine oregano, cilantro, green onion, garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Cover and process until chopped. (Or, use a knife to finely chop oregano, cilantro, green onion, and garlic. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Stir in lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper.) Generously coat both sides of salmon with the herb mixture. Cook the salmon on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-hot coals for 6 to 8 minutes or until the salmon just begins to flake easily with a fork. To serve, cut each salmon piece in half. Makes 4 servings.
murphypagan 