Smiles and Puppies

What sunshine is to flowers,
Smiles are to humanity.
~Joseph Addison

Today as you step outside your door to enjoy the warmth of a new day on your skin, the smell of newly mown hay, the scent of a freshly cut lawn, wispy clouds in a sky of azure blue, the vibrant colours of some garden flowers, or even the beauty of a cold winter's day (depending on where you live) . . . remember this . . . you DON'T have to just be a spectator. You, too, can play a huge part in the glory and beauty of this day.



Smile. Spread a little sunshine and brighten someone else's day today. It is easy to do, costs nothing, and I guarantee you will get more than a few of them back. That can't be bad at all!!



I have a confession to make. We've been searching for a puppy, and we think we may have found one. We are going to look at a litter of Cocker Spaniel pups this morning. I'm very excited about it. They are blue roan and orange roan pups. We want a female, so are not sure which colour it will be, but they are all beautiful. That's them in the above picture. Are they not adorable?



This is what an adult blue roan looks like.



This is what an adult orange roan looks like.

We even have names picked out. Mitzi if it is a blue and Buffy if it is an orange. I am in love already. Ever since we met that woman the other day with the Cocker Spaniels, I have been researching online about that breed of dog and also looking for some puppies. It sounds a lovely breed, gentle and mild tempered . . . playful and affectionate. Just the type of dog we are looking for. I found this litter of pups on Tuesday and we have been communicating back and forth with the breeder ever since. Today we are going to see them, and like I said I am really excited. I could hardly sleep all night in anticipation! (When I did fall asleep, I dreamt I was in a swimming pool with Boy Zone, and they were all wearing kilts . . . mmmm . . . but that's another story. ☺)

Anyways, I doubt that we will bring one home with us today. We are not ready here at the house for one yet, and I am not sure they are ready to leave their mother yet. We need to get a bed and grooming brush, some toys, food, puppy pads, etc. We gave absolutely everything away after we lost Jess . . . it has taken a few months, but I think our hearts are ready now to let a puppy in. Wish us luck!!

ahhh . . . puppy breath . . . I can't wait!!!



Here is a quick, easy and delicious supper that your whole family will enjoy! Kids especially love it, both the big and the small! Even Todd likes this, and he is not fond of pasta as you know!



*Chillie Weenie Pasta Pot*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This recipe is a real timesaver and unique in that the pasta actually cooks in the sauce on top of the stove. You get the delicious smoky flavour from the wieners, which goes very well with the rich, cheesey and slightly spicy tomato sauce. Children really love this, both big and small!

2 (295g) tins of condensed tomato soup (MUST be the condensed type of soup that
you have to add water to)
2 1/2 cups water
1 (420g) tin of cooked red kidney beans, drained well and rinsed
1 pound package of frankfurters, sliced into bite sized pieces
8 ounces of farfelle pasta
2 tsp mild chilli powder
1 TBS parsley flakes
2 cups of grated cheese (medium cheddar, edam or gouda)
salt and black pepper to taste

Spray cooking spray on the bottom of a large skillet that has a lid. Heat over medium high heat until hot and add the cut up frankfurters. Cook, stirring until nicely browned. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the cheese. Stir well and then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and let cook and simmer until the pasta is cooked and tender, about 15 to 17 minutes. Add the cheese, stirring it in until it is melted into the sauce. Taste and add some salt and pepper, if needed. (I never add any) Serve hot, in bowls, with some slices of buttered toast on the side.



Over on The English Kitchen today, a delicious salad of Corn and Beans with a tangy lime and yoghurt dressing!!

In sun and in rain . . .

There is a lovely bunch of Livingstone Daisies that grows in one corner of our front garden, bordering our short drive. Livingstone Daisies come with red, yellow and pink petals. Ours are the pink ones. They are almost finished now, but when they were at the height of their growth, they were stunning . . .

A bit odd though . . . for they open up and turn their faces to the sun, whenever it is shining . . . but let the day get dull, or dusk roll in . . . and they close right up. You won't see their pretty petals until the sun comes out again.



Some people are like that. As long as things are going great, they're fine and showing all their petals, but let things get hard and troublesome and they close right up and hide their finery . . .



What a shame that is. It's no way to live though. It's actually not living at all. You miss ever so much when you hide your petals away . . . We were meant to find joy in all things, both the good and the bad, else why bother blooming at all. I'm glad I am not like a Livingstone Daisy, and that I can feel both the sunshine and the rain on my petals.



We were walking along yesterday and we came across a prickly little ball in the grass. It was a little hedgehog all curled up and trying to hide from us, right in the middle of the day! Todd built a hedgehog house at the end of our garden quite some time back and has been trying to introduce hedgehogs to it, so he carefully picked it up and we brought it back to our garden, which wasn't too far away. (Lest you think we were taking it far away from it's kith and kin. It was only a few hundred yards) We put out a dish of food for it and then went off on our travels again. Alas, when we got home it had completely disappeared! But for one brief shining moment, Todd actually had a hedgehog in his garden! It had a really sweet little face, at least from what I could see of it, all tucked up inside!

I made this delicious chicken dish for our supper last night. Kind of like a Chicken Kiev, but instead of being filled with garlic butter, these are filled with a delicious cheese and herb mixture! They were very easy to do and went down a real treat with some buttery new potatoes and beans from the garden.




*Cheese and Herb Stuffed Chicken Breasts*
Serves 2, but can easily be multiplied to serve more
Printable Recipe

Chicken breasts can often be dry and lacking in taste. Not these ones! These are always moist and delicious!

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
2 TBS softened cream cheese
3 spring onions, chopped finely
4 TBS chopped fresh oregano, basil or sage leaves
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/3 cup flour
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 TBS melted butter

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Slice the chicken breasts through the middle almost all the way, but leaving them attached on one side. Open them up like a book. Spread one half of each with 1 TBS of cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chopped onion and herbs. Fold the other half over top and press tightly to seal the cheese, onion and herbs inside.

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in a shallow dish. Beat the egg and water together in another shallow dish. Place the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese into a third shallow dish and mix well together. Dip each breast first in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the egg. Finally roll it in the breadcrumb mixture. Place on a lightly buttered baking dish. Drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned and done.

Delicious!!



There are some scrummy Fruit and Nut Scrolls over on The English Kitchen today!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, August 3rd, 2010...

Outside My Window...
It is dull and gloomy looking so far, but hopefully we will see some sun later on today! It did get sunny in the latter half of yesterday, although it had been grey and dismal looking to begin with. We went for a nice walk in the evening along with our friends Audrey and Peter and it was lovely!

I am thinking...
About forgiveness. I was watching a video on YouTube yesterday.



It was moving and touching and really made me think. If Chris Williams could forgive someone who took so much away from him, how much easier it would be for me to forgive those whom I feel have wronged me. There is nobody on earth who has hurt me in such a great way . . . how small my list of wrongs against me seems in comparison. Time to let them go . . .

Psst . . . if you want to watch the video clip, turn off the music!

I am thankful for...
The tender mercies of my Heavenly Father. I feel them every hour of every day.

From the kitchen...
There is leftover carrot cake from the weekend and a big basket full of vegetables from our garden. Oh how I love this time of year when there are so many fresh vegetables available. I could eat nothing but a plate of vegetables and be perfectly happy!

I am wearing...
A pale blue jersey nightie, covered all over with little pink flowers. It has pretty blue pearlie buttons down the bodice and a tiny bow and ribbon rose on the bodice as well. I just love it. It was a gift to myself.

I am creating...
I am working a few things out in my mind, reference the new cookbook I am writing and also my drawings. No dolls on the work table just yet, but I also have some plans for them. I don't know where the time is going, but it seems to be just flying by since we have been home!

I am going...
No firm plans for the rest of this week, but we were just saying last night that we have a National Trust membership that we have not used yet this summer at all. We need to dig our book out and see what places are nearby to us here in Cheshire, and then go to see them!

I am reading...




Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult

In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn; color your
hair; watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes,
you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you
can fold laundry for a family of five.
Nineteen minutes is how long it took the Tennessee
Titans to sell out of tickets to the playoffs. It’s
the amount of time it takes to listen to the Yes song Close
to the Edge. It’s the length of a sitcom, minus the
commercials. It’s the driving distance from the
Vermont border to the town of Sterling, NH.
In nineteen minutes, you can order a pizza and get
it delivered. You can read a story to a child or have
your oil changed. You can walk two miles. You can sew
a hem.
In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world; or you
can just jump off it.
In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.

In this emotionally charged novel, Jodi Picoult delves beneath the surface of a small town to explore what it means to be different in our society.

In Sterling, New Hampshire, 17-year-old high school student Peter Houghton has endured years of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of classmates. His best friend, Josie Cormier, succumbed to peer pressure and now hangs out with the popular crowd that often instigates the harassment. One final incident of bullying sends Peter over the edge and leads him to commit an act of violence that forever changes the lives of Sterling’s residents.

Rich with psychological and social insight, Nineteen Minutes is a riveting, poignant, and thought-provoking novel that has at its center a haunting question. Do we ever really know someone?


I am hoping...
That it is not too long before I get the results back from my MRI scan. That was such a horrific experience. I really hope that I don't have to have another one. With that experience I realized how very claustrophobic I truly am. There is nothing like being stuffed into a narrow metal tube to bring out all your demons!

I am hearing...
Clock ticking, keys tapping . . . I miss Jess snoring. When I was helping Todd collect catalogues yesterday one lady invited me in while she wrote out her order. She had two lovely little Cocker Spaniels and they were just adorable. I fell right in love with them. Perhaps one day . . .

Around the house...
I have a washing machine full of laundry that I did last night that needs to be hung. I also need to hoover and dust. (Not to mention clean the bathroom!) Todd built a garden shed this past week so that we would have somewhere to put the rest of the boxes that are sitting in the spare bedroom . . . boxes with Christmas Ornaments in etc. We need to shift them out there now and turn that room into a bedroom and nothing else but a bedroom!

One of my favorite things...
Is daydreaming. Oh . . . the places I go and the people I see. There is no end to the adventures I take in my mind! I wonder if creative people daydream more than others? Is it a sign of laziness? I can tell you one thing . . . I've spent lottery money more than anyone out there . . . in my mind of course . . . and I haven't spent a dime.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
I have a sharing time to prepare for Sunday morning and the Primary Presentation to outline. We need to get some ink for the computer so that I can print some stuff out. Not a lot of things planned really, perhaps we can take a nice drive one day. I have never been to see Beatrix Potter's home, and it is only a few hours away . . . hmmm . . . what do you think? Should we go?

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



This is my dream Kitchen. I just love the open clean concept of it, with the open shelves and the blinds on the windows. I love the sink and the taps. I would go for slightly different colours though. Perhaps blue granite countertops . . . just to bring in a bit more colour and cream walls and shelves, with perhaps a tint of yellow in them . . . It's for sure that with a kitchen like that you would need to keep everything uber tidy on the shelves or it wouldn't look so good. Perhaps that is the discipline I need!

And just as a closing thought for today . . .

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
~Mark Twain

And there you have it . . . my day book for the first week in June. 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!)

Here's a delicious salad that makes a nice light lunch. I just love the combination of fruit and ham. It's that salty/sweet thing again!




*Peach, Ham and Cheese Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Ham and fruit go so very well together. They are the perfect combination and when you combine those flavours with some cheese and a honey mustard dressing, well . . . you've got something very special indeed!

1 romaine lettuce, trimmed and roughly torn
1 carton of mustard cress, trimmed
2 peans, stoned and cut into thin wedges
4 ounces of Edam cheese, rind removed and cut into thin sticks
4 ounces of thick sliced ham, cut into sticks

For the dressing:
3 TBS olive oil
1 TBS white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 TBS mayonnaise
1 tsp runny honey
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Some crusty bread for serving

Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large salad bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Divide the salad amongst four chilled salad plates and drizzle each with a portion of the dressing before serving. Serve with plenty of warm crusty bread!



And in The English Kitchen today, you'll find a delicious Cheddar Crusted Broccoli Soup!

Making each day count

Happy the man, and happy he alone,
He who can call this day his own . . .
He who, secure within, can say:
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today!
~John Dryden

Do you make a conscious effort to make each day count? Are you cognizent of the blessings, both big and small, that come your way each day? Are you able to find joy in small and simple pleasures?

It might be something as simple as stopping to admire the colour of the sky . . . or doing a good turn for a stranger.



Perhaps the supper you prepared for your family was very well cooked, and just what they love to eat most of all.

Mayhap it was a phone call to a friend you have not spoken to in a while, and it came at just the right moment, cheering you both up.



Whatever it is, or whatever you've done, or wherever you may find yourself and in whatever circumstances . . . may you end each day with a small sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. This is a day that counts, and perhaps the small and simple ways of life are the most satisfying and fulfilling things of all.

Better a golden hour that is . . . than two that were, or three that may never come to pass . Joy is so easy to find . . . if we but pause to look for it.

These may seem a bit extravagant for breakfast, but they are simple little pleasures . . . very easy to make, and quite . . . quite . . . delicious to eat . . .



*Little Berry Toasts with a Drizzle of Honey*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

You could have these for dessert if you wanted, or even for a lovely tea break in the afternoon. We choose to have them for a leisurely breakfast. The smooth cheese provides a lovely and rich base for the tart berries and sweet honey. When you combine that with the crunch of the crisp toast beneath, you have something completely delicious! These are simple and delightful!

6 (1/2 inch thick) slices of French bread
1/4 cup of Mascarpone Cheese, at room temperature
1 cup of fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, or even strawberries)
1/4 cup of fragrant honey, such as orange blossom or lavender

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Place the slices of bread onto a baking sheet and toast them in the heated oven for about 12 minutes or so, until they are toasted golden brown.

Place the toasted bread onto each of two plates. Spread each with the mascarpone cheese, dividing it equally. Arrange some berries on the top of each and then drizzle each one lightly with some honey. Serve immediately!

Mascarpone Cheese, while lovely to eat is sometimes difficult to find and when you do find it, it can be somewhat expensive. I have found this next recipe makes a delicious and more than adequate substitute.

*Fake Mascarpone Cheese*
Makes 1 1/2 cups approximately

This is a very good substitute for Mascarpone Cheese when you are not able to get the real thing. It works very well in desserts such as Tiramisu and others, and to be perfectly honest, it is hard to tell the difference between this and the real thing!

1 (250g/8 ounce) package of cream cheese
1/3 cup of heavy cream
2 1/2 TBS of sour cream

Whisk ingredients together until well combined. Use in place of mascarpone cheese in any recipe. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.



Cooking in The English Kitchen . . . a Simple Carrot Cake.

Marie's Sunday Six

Welcome to my Sunday Six Smile Makers, the first one for the month of August, 2010, and the first one I have done in over a month! I sure have missed being able to share my special blessings and smile makers with you! There's been a lot, but you've already seen my holiday snaps . . . so you can see all the smiles there! I've tried to pare it down to six things that made me smile this past week! Not an easy chore actually, coz my cup truly runneth over!



Todd has been working on his pond this past week since we have been home, furiously planting it up with plants etc. It doesn't quite look like this as of yet, but it's a vision for it's future! He put i several water lilies and some water irises. Next year he wants to put in frog spawn and newts. Todd has always wanted to have a pond and finally we have a garden large enough to do one and that makes me smile. He also put up a garden shed this week, so he's been a very busy boy. That also makes me smile!



Safe journies make me smile. We travelled all the way over to Canada and back, and when we were there, all the way to New Brunswick and back, all the way down to Gatwick Airport and back and numerous other journies in the month of July, and we did it in relative safety. The Lord watched over us all of the way and kept us safe. Knowing He was in charge made me smile and makes me smile! I'm sure a lot of prayers for safety on our behalf helped as well, and that knowledge also makes me smile. Thanks so much!



I have wanted a new dinner set for a long time and I finally got them. Black Pepper Everyday Dishes from Denby! It's my birthday this month, on the 13th, and I have been oggling this particular set of dishes for the past 3 months at our local Tesco Direct store, so Todd finally decided to get them for me! That really makes me smile. I love Denby and have wanted some Denby dishes forever! What's even better was that they were marked down to less than half price! Now that made Todd smile! Something that makes us both smile like that can't be bad!!



I even got matching stemware. They were on sale too, at only £2 for two of them! It's been my lucky week!



It's been such a rainy and wet week, umbrellas make me smile! I did forget it one day and regretted it, but for the rest of the week, I've been safe and dry under my umbrella! I just adore umbrellas, they come in so many colours and patterns. I wish I could find a polka dotted one, for that would be my favourite umbrella ever of all time! Staying dry under an umbrella this week, made me smile.



Last night we went out to dinner with our good friends Audrey and Peter. Breaking bread with friends always makes me smile. We only went to the local Toby Carvery, but it was good as always and the best part was getting to share some good food and a few laughs with people we love. Todd tried to pay with his library card!! He picked it up by mistake before we left to go out, thinking it was his bank card!! I didn't bring my purse for once, so I was no help there!! Thankfully Audrey and Peter were more organized!! We did have a laugh over Todd's mixup though! We went for a long walk on a country road afterwards, which also brought joy to my heart. I love country walks, and they are even better when shared in the company of my Todd and some good friends! Audrey and Peter are two of our favourite walking friends!



The tender mercies of the Lord make me smile. They always do. He is so good and kind to me and I love that He is always there for me. Only the breath of a prayer away from me. Being able to walk through my life, hand in hand with the Lord, makes me smile. I don't know how people cope without the knowledge of His love and guidance in their lives! It is such a beautiful part of mine and as necessary to me as breathing and eating!! My relationship with the Saviour makes me smile in a VERY big way. I am so very blessed!!



And there you have it, my smile makers for the week. I hope that you found something to smile about over these past seven days. I would love to hear about it!!

Pasta makes me smile, it's one of my favourite foods. Not so much Todd's . . . he pretty much hates it, but every once in a while I get to make some and he eats it anyways. He always seems to enjoy what I prepare though . . . so I am wondering if he really hates it actually . . . hmmmm . . . .



*Macaroni Cheese and Pancetta Frittata*
Serves 4

A frittata makes a lovely light lunch or a starter. I love this version because I love macaroni and cheese anyways, but adding eggs and bacon makes it even more scrummy!

75g of uncooked macaroni (3/4 of a cup)
75g of diced pancetta (£ ounces)
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
6 large freerange eggs
75g of Grana Padano Cheese, roughly chopped (3 ounces)
(You can use a good quality Parmesan Reggiano if you can't get the Padano)
a large handful of fresh Basil leaves, plus extra for garnishing
Freshly ground black pepper (You will probably not need any salt, because of the cheese)

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil on top of the stove and cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain it well, rinse, drain again, and then set it aside to cool for a bit.

Heat a 10 inch non-stick oven proof skillet and fry the pancetta in it for a few minutes, until it begins to crisp up. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more without browning it. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them well together. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon. Stir the pancetta into the eggs, along with the cooked macaroni, cheese, basil leaves and a good grinding of black pepper.

Put the skillet with the garlic back onto the stove over a medium heat and, once it is heated, tip the egg mixture into the pan. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes without disturbing, or until it is almost set.

Heat the grill to medium and slide the pan under it. Grill the frittata for four to five minutes, or until completely set and golden brown.

Remove from the grill and let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes. Slide it onto a chopping board and cut into slices to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a garnish of extra basil leaves and a salad on the side.



On The English Kitchen today, Chocolate Hazelnut Palmiers! Yummo!