Saint (Santa) Nicholas (Claus) Merry Christmas!

WHO IS ST. NICHOLAS?

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house  Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;  The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;  The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;….’   Clement Moore

The Christmas season, for me, has always been a joyous season. Fanciful, blessed with  the underpinnings of  religion. Some years surrounded by family. Some seasons working nights and away. Some seasons alone, cut off and remembering. Through it all, the underlying pleasure has never, for me, succumbed to commercialism burn out, negativity over family strife or a bah! humbug! moment. A balance is maintained over realities, fantasies and faith.

For all the trappings, the build up, the season and the aftermath (a bit of a let down) no cynicism will take away the wonderful feelings I derive and share. Keep the faith as it suits you. Share the love. To all Merry Christmas.   Digital story of nativity…..

Happy St. Patrick’s Day….

I couldn't resist. She just seemed so festive and I love green.

Considered one of the more popular patron saints of Ireland, St. Patrick appears to have had a sacrificial life to say the least. Hardship and service. So, for all of you that find the occasion a celebratory excursion of pub crawls take a moment to study up on the more stoic life of Pádraig. And for goodness sakes be careful out there with the Jameson’s, Old Bushmills and the brews!!! Slán go fóill   LOTGK (a little freaky/sexist I would say; no offense to Pádraig and his devoted followers)

Yes, a more reverential, less sexist sort would have used this rendition of St. Patrick from St. Benin’s Church.

BBQ Rub Recipe

SAVEUR & Original Issue re BBQ

1 1⁄2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 1⁄2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. mustard powder
1 1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
1⁄2 tsp. ground coriander
1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp. dried thyme

1. Mix in a jar; store up to 6 months.

MAKES 3⁄4 CUP

Cowboy Caviar & Flanken Cut Ribs

• 1 (11 ounce) can small, white shoepeg corn, drained
• 1 can of black eye peas, drained
• 2 firm-ripe avocados, finely chopped
• 1 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• finely minced jalapeno peppers

Hot Summer night at the kid’s house. Cold beer, grilled, marinated Korean, flanken cut ribs, grilled veggies, the cowboy caviar; cold, cubed melons, chicken and burrrp….pie. 

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Liberty Day~Aunt's Flagpole (SwittersB)

Camera Battery Charger (Car/Cabin/Room)

More than once, my battery for my Pentax Optio W60 has died on a trip. Yesterday, with a dead battery and the original charger ‘borrowed’, I went looking for a replacement at a camera store. I found a charger unit for different Lithium batteries that not only plugs into the wall, but also the port in my truck. As I drove around on business, my battery recharged in no time. This will be nice in the field as well.

Wines: Serving Temps…No, Not Warm Room Temps

WINE SERVING TEMPERATURES…ENJOY

Recording Your Family Recipe Treasures

Recently, I received a piece about In Memory’s Kitchen
It is a poignant tome about a group of Jewish women housed in a concentration camp in Terezin, Cz. The women, starving, awaiting death pieced together recollections of family recipes. They wrote them down on propaganda leaflets and wrote them in a combination of languages.

Later the compilation found its way, decades later to a daughter, who had survived the camps. The book was released and as noted in many reviews is a testament to the courage and heart the women possessed. Most touching is they knew they were to die. They wrote there recipes down for what reason? In order to celebrate a past simple life…to offer a memory or record of what was? It is a touching book, not for the recipes, but for the courage and heart of women, who dined on scraps from the garbage heaps while recording their favorites.

So, from a personal point of view, I offer this also as an incentive to record any and all family recipes that are not already written on a note card or piece of paper tucked into a cookbook: my mom made the world’s best potato salad. I have never tasted a better potato salad. Yet, I never acquired the how to steps of preparing it. For, five months my mom laid in my home, in a hospice environment. I watched her slip away in a slow motion dance with death. Not once did it occur to me to ask her how she made that magnificent potato salad. It seemed inappropriate at the time. My daughter-in-law has come close in replicating it, but the recipe would have been nice….that secret combination of ingredients…that edge.

Ask your mom, dad, aunt, mother-in-law for the recipe for that special dish, sauce, rub or cooking technique. So many times it is up there in their head. It has been altered from the original many times over the years. That is ok, get the memory down and celebrate the sharing of a family treasure. Do it soon!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/strawberry_rhubarb_cobbler/

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

 

Happy Easter Weekend from SwittersB

I was going to do the sign from a Baptist Church for Sexual Abstinence that read: Easter Comes Once a Year, How Often Do You? I didn’t even look for the hot babe Easter theme…just inappropriate. So, in keeping with our love of pups and bunnies, I chose this pic from The Sodblog