Friday morning happenings . . . it's all go, go, go!!

Source: louboosandshoes.blogspot.com via Mary Beth on Pinterest

I've not a lot of time this morning as I have a hospital appointment to go to and I need to be there at 9:30, which is a bit early for us to be out and about. When we went the other morning for the blood test the traffic was horrendous! Morning rush hour traffic and the cars pouring into the hospital were just unreal. Everyone going in to work I suppose! You should see the bruise I still have on my arm. The plebotonist was in a bit of a hurry that morning, and I don't know why. There was nobody waiting behind me. In any case when I got home I noticed a large red lump next to the plaster and when I took the plaster off, it spread into a large bruised area about 4 inches in diameter. It still looks really bad, some five days later. That is the first time this has happened to me, although I have known it to happen to other people at different times. I have had to defend Todd's honour all week!! No, he didn't beat me! haha.

I was able to get a piece of work finished yesterday that I have been working at over a space of time. I wanted to present it in two ways.



This is the first way. (I don't know why the shading on her dress isn't showing. It's very faint in the pictures, but I can assure you it's there in real life!) This is the non-LDS version. Of course it's available as a print or a card. Then there is the LDS verson:



This version had the image of the temple on it. One of the things our church believes in is called the law of chastity. This means keeping yourselves pure in thought, word and deed, dressing modestly, and in keeping those intimate things between a man and a woman exclusively for marriage . . . keeping ourselves worthy to go to the Temple and to be sealed together with our mates for Time and all Eternity. This is something that is very sacred and very important to us and a great blessing in our lives. In any case this is a young woman looking towards the Temple where she hopes one day to make sacred covenants with her Heavenly Father and to be sealed together with her husband for Time and all Eternity. I think it would be lovely framed and hung on the bedroom wall of that special young woman in your life, so if you are interested, just let me know and I'll tell you how you can have it! (Either version! We all need to keep our standards high, whether we are LDS or not!)

Sorry for the brevity of my post today but duty calls. (It's nothing to worry about, just a follow up appointment from the problems I had last autumn. I am not concerned in any way.)

The recipe today is for a really delicious lasagne which has all the flavours of a delicious pepperoni pizza, except it's not pizza . . . it's lasagne! The recipe comes from one of those grocery store leaflets I think. It is copied into my Big Blue Binder and it is something that my kids always enjoyed. Todd's not overly fond of it . . . it's the pizza and pasta thing . . . he just doesn't care for either one, but he does eat it when I make it for the missionaries. I usually make it in two dishes so that I can freeze one if it doesn't get cut into.



*Pizza Lasagne*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

If you like pizza, you are going to love this!

9 uncooked lasagne noodles
1 can (15 ounce) pizza sauce
1 can (14.5 ounce) tin of diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion, undrained
1 (15 ounce) container of ricotta cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
7 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 tin of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (2 1/4 ounce) tin of sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the lasagne noodles as directed on the package. Drain, rinse and then drain again. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a 12 by 9 inch baking dish which you have sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix the pizza sauce and tomatoes together in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through. Mix the ricotta cheese and Italian Seasoning together in a bowl.

Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange 3 cooked noodles over the sauce. Spoon and spread half of the ricotta mixture over top of the noodles. Top with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of the sauce, 1/3 each of the pepperoni slices, mushrooms, olives and green pepper. Repeat layers once.

Top with the remaining three noodles, sauce mixture, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices, mushrooms, olives and bell pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan Cheese evenly over all.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and golden. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve. I would serve this with hot buttered toast and a salad on the side.



There are Baked Potatoes Stuffed with Leeks and Cheese on offer over in The English Kitchen today along with a few other bits and pieces and some seriously fantastic cookbooks! Do hop over and take a look!

Poetry Saturday . . . I think of Mother

Source: warrengrovegarden.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

I think of mother when I see
Tall chestnut candles on a tree,
My mother always kept a light,
For us when we were out at night.

Source: minlillaveranda.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

I think of her when roses shed,
Their petals on a flower bed,
Like silken dresses spread to dry,
Beneath a breathless summer sky.

Source: thefarmersdaughter.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

The smell of new bread makes me see
The old farm house that used to be,
A place where laughter, joy and tears,
Journeyed together down the years.

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

White Christmas days . . . star-studded nights,
The heavens filled with Northern lights,
Warm evenings in the summer time,
An old brass cowbell's homely chime.

Source: 100layercake.com via Marie on Pinterest

I think of her and all she meant,
The grace and kindliness she lent
To every common household chore;
Her welcome ever at the door,
I am so rich in memories
Of ordinary things like these.

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

A loaf of bread . . . a porch light on,
An old dog sleeping on the lawn.
~Edna Jacques

Edna Jacques is one of my favourite Canadian Poets. My mother had a slim green volumn of her poems in the old bookcase in our living room. As a child I often took it out and read the words on it's pages . . . they were so beautiful to me . . .

When I left grew up, married and left home . . . my mother gifted me with that book. Oh how I cherished it. It disappeared during one of my many moves during the years and it was like I had lost a lifelong friend. I was able to find one in a used book shop a number of years back and it has become one of my treasures . . .

There is a handwritten inscription inside it's cover . . . it reads simply . . .

"Best wishes Grandma
from Glenn
Christmas . . . 1953"

It makes me wonder . . . who was Grandma. I am sure she must have been a woman, treasured by family . . . with a sweet heart for poetry. Love isn't mentioned there . . . but I can feel it when I brush my fingers across the fading ink. She was a woman blessed with all those things in life that mean the most.

This poem I have showcased here today was my mother's favourite poem in the book. She spoke of it to me . . . how it reminded her of her Grandmother's old house, the house she had been born in, and how her Grandmother had had roses growing by the back door . . . my mother has some very sweet memories of her growing up years spent in that house, and I love to listen to them . . . I have always loved to listen to them.

These are the treasures of life. The small and simple things that money just can't buy.



*Heaven and Earth Casserole*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Sweet potatoes make a change from regular potatoes. It may sound like an unusual combination to put together sweet potatoes, onions and apples, but trust me when I say they go together beautifully!!! The original recipe was called Sausage and Sweet Potato Casserole, but I changed it to Heaven and Earth, because to me it epitomizes all the best of both . . . the apples from the tops of heavily laden apple trees, and the sweet potatoes and onions from the earth, and everything in between . . .

1 pound of pork chipolata sausages (I used Cumberland)
3 cups peeled and thinly sliced raw sweet potatoes
½ cup peeled and sliced onion
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 peeled and thinly sliced apples
1 TBS packed brown sugar
¼ cup chicken stock
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/gas mark 6. Lightly grease a casserole dish and set it aside. Start browning the sausages in a heavy skillet over medium low heat.

Begin layering the vegetables in the prepared casserole dish. Start with some sweet potatoes and the apples. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Then layer on some onion. Repeat the layers until all are used up, ending with a final layer of sweet potatoes. Pour the ¼ cup of stock over all, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over top, and then put on the lid. Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Top with the sausages and scatter the cheese evenly over top. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to turn golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving. Delicious!



In The English Kitchen today . . . Apple Butterscotch Pudding Cake.

Friday ramblings . . .

Source: thriftingforvintage.typepad.com via Marie on Pinterest

I've always been somewhat of a people watcher. There is nothing I like more, in nice weather of course, than to plunk myself down onto a bench somewhere and just watch the people around me, or the people that go by. I like to imagine what their story might be . . . Everyone does have one you know. Some may be a bit more interesting than others. Still others may be a bit sad and tragic . . . but everybody has one.

Sometimes I will sit in the car while Todd pops into a shop (a man shop of course . . . like Halfords, filled with rubber tires and car parts.) Parking lots are wonderful places to people observe as well.

The stories that I imagine are always happy ones though . . . I would not want to visit tragedy upon anyone. Young people are the most fun to watch, especially young girls. Watching them takes me back to my own teen years and all the wonderfully giggly feelings that I had once upon a time . . . the teen crushes and dramas experienced . . . that feeling that everything was at once possible and impossible all at the same time.

Source: flickr.com via Julie on Pinterest

Elderly people are also quite fun to watch. I like to imagine what adventures their lives have held . . . and nothing is more tender or sweeter than old love . . . the sight of an elderly couple, who still take the time to treat the other with love and reverance . . . love is not always wasted on the young. Elderly lovers are a delightful sight.

The sight of young mums and toddlers can take me back instantly to all the rigors of young motherhood . . . the trials, the joy . . . the sticky little kisses and hugs. They are tender memories . . . filled with longing and sometimes regret. I expect that we all feel from time to time that we could have done better, and wish that we had.

At our RS Presidency Meeting the other night we were talking about the recent World Leadership Training and how we all need to step up to the plate and be more observant of the sisters under our care. Often a sister will appear like there is nothing wrong . . . presenting an "I'm ok, all is right with the world" face to all who she speaks to . . . but this can mask how she is truly feeling . . . I know I have been guilty from time to time of pretending to the world that all is ok, when really it isn't . . . and there have been times when it would have been really nice if someone could have seen through my prideful facade and given me a much needed hug anyways, or a kind word. Body language often tells a different story than a smiling face would have us think . . . or believe. We need to be more observant and caring, and to act more on the promptings of our hearts. I believe we will be blessed for doing so.

Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Julie on Pinterest

I was sooooo exhausted last night when I went to bed. I don't really sleep well most nights. I spend hours and hours dreaming it seems, never really falling into that deep dreamless sleep we all need so very much. Last night I was tired to the point where I thought I would fall asleep right away . . . but in reality it took a while because I was probably really over tired! It seems odd to me that I can be falling asleep in front of the telly, so much so that I would be hard pressed to tell you what we are watching . . . and then when I hit the pillow I actually wake up! Does this happen to anyone else???

We are off to help teach with the missionaries this morning, which should be good. I hope I wake up before then! I am feeling quite tired again actually! I may even go back to bed, but not before telling you about this delicious recipe of course! I love pizza, but Todd does not. I don't think he actually even tries to like it . . . but, he will eat this casserole quite happily, which satisifies both my pizza craving and his desire not to eat it. ( ☺ Does that make sense? Probably not!!)



*Upside Down Pizza*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

If you like pizza you will love this novel casserole, which has the pizza toppings on the bottom!

1 pound of extra lean ground beef
2 TBS oil, divided
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 small green pepper, peeled, deveined and finely chopped (optional)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 (14 to 15 ounce) jar of pizza sauce (Can use Spag bol sauce if you wish. I like the Napolina Tomato and Basil sauce)
2 large free range eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup of plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (8 ounces) of grated strong cheddar cheese
2 medium spring onions, chopped

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 TBS of the oil and heat til it shimmers. Crumble in the ground beef, onions, peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring for about 10 minutes, until the beef is browned completely and the vegetables are softened. Stir in the sauce. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining TBS oil, flour and salt together until foamy.

Spread beef mixture into a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the cheese. Pour the batter over top of the cheese. Sprinkle with the onion.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until puffy and golden brown. Serve immediately. Delicious!



Over in The English Kitchen this morning, a delicious low fat Big Breakfast Sarnie!

Poetry Saturday . . . The Star

Source: baulabuela.wordpress.com via Marie on Pinterest

Twinkle, Twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

Source: pascalcampion.com via Marie on Pinterest

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Source: lucette.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

Source: klimtbalan.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Til the sun is in the sky.

Source: klimtbalan.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark . . .
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
~Jane Taylor

Source: darkallyways.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

You know my whole life I have been singing "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star," and until this morning I never realized that there were more verses or even knew who wrote it. I had always thought it was just a little child's nursery rhyme.

It actually is an early nineteenth-century English poem, first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection of poems by Jane Taylor and her sister Ann. Born in 1783, Jane wrote the poem at the age of 23. You can read more about her here, on the wikepedia page. It's all very interesting and tragic. She died at the young age of 40 of breast cancer. I wonder how they know things like that . . . amazing to me.



The Wiggles for your amusement.

At any rate that is my poem for today! Oh, I do so love poetry, don't you?? I also love all these starry pieces of artwork that I have showcased here this morning as well. You can click on the source links at the bottom of each piece and see more of the work of these very talented artists. I am hoping to get into my artroom at some point today myself. (Fingers crossed!)

Here's another star!! A star in my kitchen in the way of a delicious casserole that we just love. It's a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken and one that my kids always really enjoyed. I have never been to Mexico. I have never even been to New Mexico, but I love anything with a bit of Mexican flavour! Ole!


*Chicken Enchilada Pie*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A Tex Mex favourite, lightened up a bit. Delicious as ever.

8 flour tortillas for burritos
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup cooked long grain rice
2 cups grated low fat Monterey Jack Cheese
1 (15 ounce) tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (19 ounce) tin of Red Enchilada Sauce
1 cup of sweet corn, thawed
1 cup of thick and chunky tomato salsa
2 TBS thinly sliced spring onions, green and white parts

To Garnish: (optional)
reduced fat sour cream
chopped spring onions

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Spray a round (1 litre) baking dish, 9 inches in diameter, with some nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Cut 5 of the tortillas in half. Cut the remaining tortillas into 2 1/2 inch wide strips. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, rice, 1 cup of the cheese, the beans and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce. Mix together well.

Layer 4 tortilla halves in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce and half of the chicken mixture. Top with 2 tortilla halves. Fill in any empty spaces with 3 tortilla strips. Spoon the corn over the tortillas. Spread the salsa over the corn. Layer with 2 more tortilla halves and 3 strips. Top with remaining half of the chicken mixture. Finish layering with the remaining 2 tortilla halves and strips, the remaining enchilada sauce, the remaining cheese and the 2 TBS of spring onions.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the mixture is heated thoroughly and the cheese has melted. Cool for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and some spring onions if desired.



In The English Kitchen today, a delicious Treacle Gingerbread Loaf.

Having a list of dreams . . .

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

A wise man was known to be writing a book, but the years went by and he was still a long way from reaching the last page. One day, when he was very old, a young man asked him if he was not impatient to see it completed.

The old man smiled. “All my life it has been my ambition to finish writing my book, but an ambition realized is like a snowflake in a warm hand. Take away my dream, and what would I have left?”

When he died, his pen was still in his hand, the unfinished manuscript in front of him. It is said he was smiling happily.

If the story has a moral, it is this: Don’t take away people’s hopes and dreams. Often they are the most precious things in their lives.

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

When I first read this story, I thought how sweet . . . but then, when I really started thinking about and pondering the words I thought . . . how sad. This poor man was so wrapped up in pursuing his dream, that he never ever really accomplished it. All his life and his work was in vain.

I have hopes and dreams, and I have more than one! I find them inspiring and they do give me hope, and everyone needs that. I like to think however, that once accomplished, these dreams and hopes will be replaced with other ones. I have a list that I keep on the computer. It is called Marie’s Dream list. Yesterday I was looking at it, and I realized that, out of 12 items on the list, I have already accomplished four!!! To me that’s amazing, and it brings me even more hope! I’m a third of the way through my list! I think it is also something which is called a bucket list . . . or a list of things you would like to accomplish or see before you die.

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

I think if we keep our hopes and dreams realistic, then there is more chance of them coming to fruition. And what are hopes and dreams for, if they never have any chance of coming true? People do need hope, and they need dreams. These are often the driving forces in our lives. The things that keep us going. But if they can never be achieved, and always lie outside of our grasp, they might well end up being the very things that serve to bring us down!

I would inspire you all to make yourself a dream or a bucket list. Fill it with pictures of the things you hope for. Look at it often and visualize yourself living within the grasp of these hopes and dreams. I dare say that it won’t be too long before, like me, you are able to strike some of them off your list . . . as they will already have come true. The nice thing about that is you get to replace them with new ones, and not to coin a famous phrase or anything, but . . . “That’s a good thing.”

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

I am so late getting up this morning. I don't think I slept barely a wink last night. I spent the whole night in a dream state just below consciousness! Crazy dreams too! The last one I had was about crocodiles in ponds (In my father's bedroom) and baby mice, which were running about and getting eaten by cats. Not sure what it all means, but . . . they were white mice with pink eyes!! Crazy stuff!

Here's a tasty pasta dish that will have your family drooling and sitting about the table in great anticipation!! I also make another version of these which has a taco filling. Both are very popular!


*Stuffed Pasta Shells*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

Pasta shells stuffed with a delicious meat and three cheese filling. It does make rather a lot, so I usually divide it into two casseroles and freeze one for another time. Be sure to cook your shells only to al dente (Still slightly firm). This makes them a lot easier to fill and means that they won't over cook during the baking.

24 uncooked extra large pasta shells
1 pound extra lean ground beef
fine sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste
1 large jar (26 ounces) chunky spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup water
1 container of chive and onion cream cheese (8 ounce)
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese (6 ces)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 large free range egg
1 to 2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish, if desired

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Cook and drain pasta as directed on the package for al dente pasta. Set aside.

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat, seasoning with some salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook until browned thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Drain off any fat or liquid that may accumulate and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Mix the pasta sauce and water in a large bowl. Place one cup of it into the bottom of an ungreased 13 by 9 inch glass baking dish. Mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend, the Parmesan cheese, egg and ground beef in a medium bowl. Mix well together. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the mixture into each cooked pasta shell. Arrange the stuffed shells over the sauc ein the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over top of the shells, covering them completely. Cover the dish with foil.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly and the filling has set. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Italian Cheese blend. Bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle with the parsley just prior to serving, if using.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, Heuvos Rancheros! Ole!!

The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, January 3rd, 2012...

Outside My Window...
The wind is blowing like crazy, although it doesn't seem all that cold and it's not raining . . . not yet at any rate! It's hard to believe that this is my first Daybook entry for 2012! Only 51 more to go! lol

I am thinking...
I was talking to my mom on the telephone on Sunday . . . like I do every Sunday and she mentioned how the step mom had felt duty bound to tell my eldest son, who was visiting in between Christmas and New Years, that I had not called my youngest daughter at their (the ex's) house on Christmas Day. First of all I had no idea any of my children were there. I had been told my eldest daughter was at her future In Law's for the day, and so I called her there. Secondly, I had been told my youngest daughter and family would be in New Brunswick for Christmas. Third, I've been told in no uncertain terms that I am not welcome in that house (eldest daughter's wedding) . . . so . . . why on earth would I want to telephone there? I am left wondering why on earth she has this need to constantly try to undermine me with my children. She must be terribly insecure.

I am thankful for...
With the way that wind is blowing, I am thankful for a roof over my head this morning!

From the kitchen...
There is half of a very dangerous pie, half a Christmas Cake and a few mince pies. I think it's called "Living on the Edge!"

I am wearing...
Pink M&S Nightie, grey and pink jim jam bottoms, slippers and robe. Yes, once again layering for warmth.

I am creating...



My first creation of 2012! A sweet little Valentine with a sweet little message! As usual she is available as a print or a card. I love her very colourful leg warmers!

I had sketched her before Christmas and then yesterday I finished her off. I think it turned out quite nice. What do you think? As always she is available as a card or a print! Just message me to find out more.

I am going...
We both have Presidency meetings at the chapel tomorrow night and then on Thursday I have the missionaries coming for their first 2012 dinner with us. I've also invited the new girl that was Baptised last week. She's a Vegetarian so I will be cooking a Vegetarian meal. I want it to be interesting and exciting enough that the lads won't be missing the meat. I have my thinking cap on!

I am reading...



Cross Stitch, by Diane Gabaldon (first in the Outlander series)

It has been a very long time since I have read anything deemed to be historical romance, although at one time I read a lot of them. I was particularly drawn to stories with either vikings or scotsmen wearing kilts in them.

The novel is not easily classified by a single genre. On one level, the work is a romance novel with a focus on the romantic relationship between the two main characters. The book could be described as a work of historical fiction with a detailed account of 18th century Scottish clan life. The novel could also be considered fantasy with a plot propelled by magical time travel as the main character, a woman named Claire, journeys from 1945 to the 18th century.

Cross Stitch(published in the US as Outlander) is the first novel in a series of seven by Diana Gabaldon. The book focuses on two main characters, Claire Randall (née Beauchamp) and James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, and takes place in 18th- and 20th-century Scotland. It was awarded the RITA Award for "Best romance novel" of 1992, so it's not a really recent novel.

So far, whilst it isn't what I would consider to be "great" literature, I am finding it to be somewhat of a page turner and quite entertaining. I think we all need to read something light once in a while. I just skim over the mushy parts . . . where they would have held my interest when I was younger, I just find them boring now. Funny how that goes . . .

I am hoping...
Todd has had a flickering of light in his right eye, which is his best eye. His left eye is very weak, due to a squint he had operated on when he was a child. He also had a rather large floater in it a week or so back. It sounds like a retinal detachment to me. He is on strict orders to call the Doctor right away today when the surgery opens. I know that is cases such as this the sooner you have them attended to the better. My Aunt ended up blind because she never had hers attended to. I am hoping that whatever the problem is with Todd's eye, something can be done and soonest.

I am hearing...
The Westminster Chimes are gonging on our clock, that means it is now 7 a.m. The wind is blowing. Mitzie is snoring. Life is good.

Around the house...

Source: elfenpulver.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

I love this little storage ches which has been covered in scrap book papers. It would be so very easy to do and would look great in our bedroom, or on a smaller scale it would be wonderful as a jewelry box. I may have to give this a think and try to do one myself this year. What do you think??

I am looking forward to ...
I am really looking forward to seeing how 2012 turns out. One never knows do they . . . the future is always such a mystery. I am thinking that is a good thing . . . if we knew what lay ahead, perhaps some of us would just lay down now and get it all over with! I am grateful that our futures are in our Heavenly Father's hands and that we don't know what they hold. The only thing we know for sure is that He is ultimately in control.

"Be of good cheer. Be not afraid." ~Jesus Christ

If I could change one thing it would be ...
Right now I wouldn't change a thing about my own life . . . but if I had the power to change others for the better it would be that everyone recognized their worth and that everyone felt loved.

One of my favourite things...
Is sitting in front of a blank page, blank piece of art paper, blank computer screen and then filling them up with whatever whimsey my creative self feels like exploring.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
A bit of work . . . a bit of play . . . and everything in between!!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Source: thesafewordiswhiskey.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.
~Helen Keller

I have always admired Helen Keller. She was so wise and did not allow her limitations to hold her back from living a very full and unlimited life. What wise advice this is. Words we all should take in and then try to apply to our own lives. We must walk through our lives with confidence, trusting in the Lord's promises and knowing who we are . . . and how very valuable we are in the scheme of things.

As a closing thought I would like to leave you with this:

"To be wronged is nothing . . . unless you continue to remember it."
~Confucius

And there you have it . . . my day book for this week. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!

Comfort food for January. One thing I love about January is being able to hunker in and wallow in comfort . . . the warmth of the fire, cosy lap throws, warm drinks, and comfort foods. January is the one month of the year we can indulge ourselves with stodge and substance without feeling too guilty about it. Our bodies need the extra fuel!



*Swede and Bacon Pies*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I love Swede, or rutabaga as it is often called. It has such a natural earthy sweetness to it and goes with just about anything. Bacon and swede are perfect partners!

8 slices of back bacon, trimmed of all fat and cut into small pieces
1 TBS olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large swede, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
400ml chicken stock (about 1 2/3 cup)
1 tsp summer savoury or mixed herbs
A small handful of chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

For the Topping:
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)
2 TBS butter
A little warm milk
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 TBS melted butter
½ cup bread crumbs

Put the bacon in a non-stick pan along with the olive oil. Brown on all sides and then remove from the pan. Add the onions and sauté them in the same oil until soft and beginning to brown slightly. Return the bacon bits to the pan along with the Swede and carrot. Season with some black pepper and the summer savoury and then add the chicken stock. Cover and cook over medium low heat until the vegetables are tender. About 5 minutes or so. Stir in the parsley and then divide amongst 4 individual pie dishes. Set aside and keep warm while you prepare the potato topping.

Place the potatoes into some boiling salted water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes or so. Drain well and then mash along with the butter and a little warm milk. Add the cheese and stir it in until it is melted. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper. Loosely spoon onto the Swede mixture dividing it equally amongst the four dishes and piling it up a bit in the middle. Don’t smooth it out, you want somewhat of a rough texture.

Heat the oven to 205*C/425*F. Melt the butter in the microwave and then stir in the bread crumbs, mixing it all together well. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over top of each dish, dividing them equally amongst the four. Bake the pies in the heated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned in bits and the filling is bubbling away. Eat and enjoy!



Baking over in The English Kitchen today, a delicous Brown Sugar Cream Pie. Not for the faint of heart! (Just a warning. This is seriously delicious, trust me!)

Monday morning prattle . . .

I read a little story this morning about a man whose wife asked him to pop down to the greengrocers and pick her up a head of cabbage. He was a bit perplexed about the size.

"What size?" he asked. "Oh, about as big as your head." was her reply.

Ten minutes later he was back. His wife was absolutely delighted with the cabbage he brought.

"Just right!" she enthused."However did you manage?"

"Simple." was his reply. "I just tried my hat on all of them until I found one that fitted!"

Now that dear friends is what I call using your head! How very intuitive and quite like a man, I think!



I had a lovely phone conversation with dear Lura yesterday. She was getting ready to give a talk at her church Stake's autumn Stake conference and she wanted to run it by me to see what I thought. Of course I thought it was fabulous. You can read it here, as she has posted it on her page. I think it's quite wonderful. I am so very happy that she is doing so much better. I know that it seems to her that it has taken a very long time for her to get to this point. She is now able to work in the Temple again and each day brings her one day closer to being back in full health, although I am sure she will always feel some effects from the accident. I thank the Lord daily that she was spared, she is such a dear friend of mine and I love her so very much! It was a real pleasure to be able to talk to her yesterday. There was a time when I thought I might never be able to speak to her again, so what a blessing it is that I can!

I feel a bit like I am getting the sniffles today. My throat felt a bit funny last night. There were ever so many people out of church yesterday due to illness. It is that time of year isn't it . . . the weather hasn't yet gotten cold enough to kill of any lingering germs from the summer and with the weather swinging back and forth as it does, head colds are bound to crop up. I only very rarely get ill, but when I do it is usually a whopper. I am hoping it doesn't land and settle!


(I love this pic of my mum. She was about 19 or 20 here)

I had a lovely conversation with my mum yesterday as well. As you know I call her every Sunday. I wish I could visit with her in person, but as I can't I make do with a weekly telephone call. She is always very chatty and it is always so very good to hear her voice. I do worry about her being all on her own at this stage in her life. She will be 80 on her next birthday. She was telling me yesterday how outraged she is that her bank will no longer be sending statements in the post, but are asking their customers to avail themselves of the online banking system instead. (In order to help the environment they say . . . more likely to save themselves the cost of paper, print and sending them out, I say!) My mother doesn't have a computer, nor is she likely to get one. So many things are moving to online today and most companies etc. assume that everyone is on the internet, but this is not so. There are still a lot of people who have no internet and no plans for internet. I think it quite unfair to them. There should still be an option open for those who cannot surf the www. (My mother won't even have a debit card. Yes, she is a dinosaur, lol, a very stubborn dinosaur!)



A few snaps of my family recently. I wanted to share with you here this morning. This is by no means all of my family, but just a few shots of some happy moments with a few of them. I love my family very much and am so pleased that bridges seem to have been mended recently. That is a real answer to prayer and a blessing for me. I pray that things continue to improve.

Well, I have prattled on long enough this morning about nothing, so I will end now with a wish for each of you that you have a lovely beginning to your week. I hope that the sun shines down on you and that your cup runneth over with blessings both the big and the small. I do so love you my dear sweet friends. You are a blessing to me that I count every day!



Here is something that I had not made in a while. A delicious lasagne. Todd always says that he doesn't like pasta . . . but he never seems to mind eating this. I tried one of those Linda McCartney frozen veggie ones not too long ago. (They were on special for £1) It wasn't bad, but entirely too runny for my taste. I like a lagagne with substance! One that holds up when you cut a square from it and one chock full of things. I am not fond of lasagne that is all sauce and no filling. Sorry Linda, but it just didn't cut the mustard! This one is very satisfying I have to say. I do hope you will give it a try.


*Marie’s Fantastic Lasagne*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

This is the best lasagne! Sometimes I do cheat and use a store bought tomato sauce. You can get some very good ones these days. It’s well worth the effort of making your own though! This is a lasagne that you will find yourself thinking about long after you’ve eaten it . . . longing for yet another delicious slice.

½ pound lasagne noodles (I use fresh that I don’t need to cook first)
½ pound extra lean ground beef
½ pound spicy Italian sausage meat (over here I use spicy pork and garlic sausages, removed from their casings)
½ cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 TBS olive oil
3 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (or canned tomatoes, drained)
1 ½ tsp seasoning salt
2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 TBS chopped fresh basil
½ tsp dried oregano, crumbled
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:
½ cup butter
4 TBS plain flour
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 chicken boullion cube (optional)
1/8 tsp salt
RICOTTA FILLING:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ pound ricotta cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp salt
CHEESES:
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan Cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
Butter to dot on top



Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion and garlic until slightly softened. Add the meats and brown them well. Add the tomatoes and spices and simmer on medium heat until the sauce is quite thick, about 30 to 40 minutes.

While the meat sauce is simmering make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk for about one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and the chicken broth. Cook, whisking, until it starts to bubble and thicken. Taste for seasoning. You may need to add the bullion cube for additional flavour. Add salt if needed.

Make the ricotta filling by whisking together all the ingredients with a fork. Set aside.

Once you have all the sauces prepared and the filling ready, pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F.

Spoon a bit of the meat sauce into a 13 X 9 inch baking dish. Layer on as follows: half of the lasagne noodles, half of the remaining meat sauce, ½ cup of the Béchamel sauce, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, half of the Mozzarella cheese and half the ricotta. Top with the other half of the noodles and repeat the layers once again. Dot the top with butter and bake in the pre-heated oven , uncovered for at least 30 minutes or more, until bubbly and starting to brown.

*You can make this ahead of time and chill, covered, until needed. It also freezes very well!

We like to serve this with a delicious tossed salad and some freshly made garlic bread.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Mushrooms on Toast, with Garlic, Pancetta and Oregano.