Archive for November, 2009

Elephants Paint

Author: nwilker

Nov 14

Last weekend my friend Laura and I headed to the zoo to enjoy the first weekend of Denver Art Week (#denverartweek).

I was beyond myself with joy that I was going to get to see Elephants Paint!!!
Yes – Paint Pictures!!  How cool is that??!!
Elephants
The handlers – brought the elephants into the main inside area, they went through some of the basic stuff – checking feet, teeth etc. It was super cool that they could balance on their left feet and raise their right feet – wow! Amazing balance!

Once they finished that, the main show started! Each elephant got to paint some of the painting. The finished product was definitely interesting!!

Beginning of the painting More paint! Final Painting
Once the new area for the Pachyderms is finished this paintings will be hung on the outside of their building! They get to decorate their own house! Yeah!!

Laura and decided since it was Free day at the zoo – so we decided to check out the rest of it!

Darn, the penguins are soooo cute!

Penguins Waddle waddle

It was fun day! Can’t wait to see them next time!

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Mocha Chips ‘n’ Bits

Author: nwilker

Nov 14

Mocha Chips ‘n’ Bits – another gem from my Great American Cookie Cookbook!

Could be made with or without the coconut.

Some people might be seeing these under their Christmas tree this year!

Mocha Chips 'n' Bits

Ingredients:

1 cup butter flavor shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbl milk

1 tbl instant coffee

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 tbl unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup coconut

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 375. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooking cookies

2. Combine shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, instant coffee and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until blended. Beat in eggs.

3. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix into creamed mixtre until “just” blended. Stir in chips and cocnut. Drip rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

4. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool.

Yields: 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

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Getting the oven to 180

Author: nwilker

Nov 13

I enjoy cooking and baking etc, but have shied away from bread because it always says to let it rise for 2-5 hours at 180 degrees.

Well, i don’t know about you, but my oven does not allow me to set it to 180, so how the heck and i supposed to do this stupid rising business. So forget it, no bread in this house!

Flash forward to lunch with my friend deb. I had some biscuits and beer bread for lunch with her and we got to talking about baking bread.

I went into my normal rant of how the heck am i supposed to find a place to let this stupid dough “rise” for hours at 180…

She says – Oh, easy.  (WHAT? easy, well get on with it, how is this accomplished?)

Preheat the oven to 200.

Let it sit there for 10 minutes.

Shut it off.

Whala – you have 180

Well dagnabit, couldn’t all my cookbooks mention that little ditty?

Bread is on the adenda this weekend!

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Happy Warm Fall Day

Author: nwilker

Nov 11

Leafless Tree

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Back to normal, if not better

Author: nwilker

Nov 10

Hello there!

Mr Phillip is definitely back to his old self!

I have been working from home much more lately – office sickies, stow storms, etc etc etc.

And now that he is feeling A-OK, and his favorite spots are blocked with spikey “don’t sit here pads,” he’s on my like glue!

He’s right there, if I a make sudden move or there is the possibility that my arm might be in petting range, he is right there!

Yesterday I gave up and did a power walk with him, just to tucker him out! Good for both of us I guess, although setting that precident right before winter sets in, might be a really really really bad idea!

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Potato, Sausage and Kale soup

Author: nwilker

Nov 8

I had kale and sausage soup at my friend Stina’s house last year around this time, made with fresh kale from her garden and i’ve thought of it since. I finally saw some kale on sale and decided i needed to see if i could do as good a job. Wow! It turned out fabulous! I’m so excited!

Potato Sausage and Kale soup

Potato, Sausage and Kale soup

Ingredients

    2 tbl olive oil
    2 cups chopped onion
    1 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
    6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    2 hot Italian sausage links
    4 cups couresly chopped potato
    5 cups water
    4 cups fat-free, chicken broth
    2-3 cups torn kale
    1 can cannelloni beans, rinsed or drained

Directions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Remove casings from sausage; add sausage to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until sausage is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Add potato, 5 cups water, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Gradually add kale; cook 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and beans; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Number of Servings: 10

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Mushroom Frittata

Author: nwilker

Nov 8

Found this little ditty in Cooking Light and with only 4 ingredients it is amazingly yummy!!!

I even got to have a little of it for breakfast straight from the fridge this morning. It was amazing!!!!

Mushroom Frittata

Ingredients

  • 1  (8-ounce) package mushrooms
  • 1/2  cup  shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme
  • 3  large egg whites
  • 2  large eggs

Preparation

Preheat broiler. Heat an 8-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Place mushrooms in a medium bowl; cool slightly. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Combine mushrooms, cheese, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt, egg whites, and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Heat pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushroom mixture; cook, covered, for 3 minutes or until almost set. Broil 3 minutes or until egg is set. Cut into 4 wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories:122
Fat:6.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.4g)
Protein:13.3g
Carbohydrate:3g
Fiber:0.8g
Cholesterol:116mg
Iron:0.9mg
Sodium:401mg
Calcium:195mg
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They Might Be Giants!

Author: nwilker

Nov 7

Hubby and I ventured out of downtown to experience the joy that is They Might Be Giants!
They Might Be Giants - Marqui
I had yet to go to a concert in Denver since we moved here – how can that be? With such great venues and awesome talent coming through all the time?
I have no answer for you, but I have promoted the husband to the LMC – Live Music Coordinator for the family. (I coordinate waaay to much, this is something he can handle!)

The show was awesome! Really how could They Might Be Giants not rock the house right? Everyone knows the songs, it makes everyone happy and everyone bounces!
We got front row in the Balcony – i’m working my way up to being an oldster – so being body to body and standing for 4 hours is waaay past my threshold! Our view was great and we had a stool to sit on! Woot!
View from the Balcony
This was a 16+ show. 16, really? That’s weird. Yet we still saw at least 3 gentleman toting around 1-3 children each. Really? By children i mean under 10. Really, children, at a grownup venue, on a school night, at a show that doesn’t really get going till 8:30 or 9pm? People really are stupid. Sigh.

Hubby and I had a great time! Good together time, plenty of time to chat – Doors opened at 7, first band after 8, second band after 9… Yes, i am old… maybe that is why we haven’t been to much live music… hmmm…

Can’t wait for the next time TMBG passes through, on their current trend that would be 2024….  Then I’ll really be old!

At Moe's

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48 hours no vomit!!!

Author: nwilker

Nov 6

It’s the little things in life!
Phillip kept down a few meals of cottage cheese and rice! Woohoo!
This morning he got the same with some kibble and pumpkin… Nummies!!

He is very sad about being banished from anything but the floor, so now i sit on the floor with him…
Phillip - take pity on me!
Yes, I am a sucker!

He is definitely back to normal – he’s been wandering about the abode looking for cuddles and pity!

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Please be neat…

Author: nwilker

Nov 5

I was in the rest room at work today and “my toilet” had piddle on it. Ewwww…

This is a very small building there can’t be more than 25 women that would use the rest room….
Sigh. Seriously? Piddle? Are we not all grownups?

My mind immediately started singing a little song my sister taught me -

If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat!

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