Thursday, September 30, 2010

Putting a bow on it...

Is it just me or has this been a looooong week? We've had rain all day every day except Wednesday. The leaves are really turning now and I'm remembering how much I loved the colors of fall last year. Does anyone else feel just a little bit sad when autumn arrives? I love this season maybe more than any other but it can also make me feel just a little bit melancholy.

Some of my trees are already so pretty but I have not taken any photos because did I mention it has been raining all day every day? Yeah. Good housecleaning weather (or so I've heard). How does my house get so dusty? There are no little ones running around making messes and we're gone almost more than we're here, and still that dust just continues to collect.

I have a few stray thoughts (ya think?) that I need to corral so I figured I'd end the week by wrapping up some loose ends...

First off, do you remember my birthday? Kidding! Sort of. I wrote two posts answering questions readers asked and there was one I promised to get back to once the dust settled. That would be the figurative dust, not the dust in my house which apparently will never settle. I may have had one too many cups of caffeinated tea this afternoon. Sorry.

A-ny-hoo, Carol asked me to post my favorite recipe and I said I would never be able to choose so would just share a favorite recipe. Fudge Pie. Yum! It's simple and delicious and I generally have the ingredients on hand so I can make one up if unexpected guests drop by. Or whenever I feel the need for fudge pie. The recipe found here is just like mine except I use 1/2 cup of flour instead of 1/4. Enjoy!

Secondly, crock pots. I love to pull out my crock pot this time of year but I have two issues with them. One is the clean up. My pot lifts out but it isn't easy to clean. Recently I was in someones home for Bunco and she had her dinner going in the crock pot. We were discussing this very problem when she showed us these-


Am I the last person to know about Crock Pot Bags? I love them and no this is not a paid endorsement. My supermarket carries them and you just pop the bag in the crock pot, put your meal in the bag, cook, eat and then toss the bag. Voila...no messy crock pot.

The second problem I have with crock pots is the taste. I love making soups and stews and chili in mine but those recipes generally call for lots of seasoning and spice. I find that many chicken and pork dishes lack an essential ingredient which is called flavor. Too bland. Or if they're not bland its because they are smothered in cream of something soup which I love but try to avoid. I found a good crock pot pork chop recipe online (seriously people, what did we do before google??) and I'm sharing it with you here. If you have one you love send it my way pretty please.

Lastly, during my birthday hullabaloo I was given a lovely bloggy award by Alex and I wanted to say thanks. Thanks Alex! That same week I was tagged by two different bloggers in a game that requires answering 8 questions for every tag. I'm cheating a little because I'm pretty sure you are, at this very moment, holding your breath and praying that I am not going to answer 16 questions at the end of an already long post. You may exhale...I'm answering the first four from Tina at a View from a Hill and the last four from Carrie at It's Not Easy Being Queen.

1. What is your favorite season and why?

Fall...the changing colors, the cooler temps, football and especially breaking out the boots. Cute boots I mean, not snow boots. They're for another season. Well we hope they're for another season-last year we had a snow storm on Oct. 8th. That's just wrong.

2. Do you have a bucket list and what is one thing that is on it?

Not an official written down bucket list but a mental one for sure....one thing?...write something that is published (and I don't mean by Blogger)

3. Do you go to Starbucks and what is your favorite drink there?

Occasionally. No haters please. We don't have one in our little town but we do have a Dunkin' Donuts and I prefer the taste of their coffee. I'm not a fan of the really filling flavored coffee drinks so if I go to Starbucks I usually order a tall skim latte or cappuccino and when I'm out of the box I get it iced. Whoo hoo.

4. What book are you currently reading (or have just finished)?

Little Bee by Chris Cleave. I really liked the book but will tell you its a bit 'dark'. We discussed it in my neighborhood book club on Tuesday night and it got mixed reviews. I think that was mostly because you need to be in the right frame of mind to read something that isn't all sunshine and light. I like those kinds of books too but I think its good to read things that make you squirm a little. The world is not always a nice place and for those of us living in America its easy to avoid thinking about the not so nice stuff that's out there.

5. Do you like to wear orange?

If I'm at a Tennessee football game I do. Actually I like orange as an accent color. I have two scarves with orange in them and they're my favorites.

6. What's your favorite thing to shop for?

Shoes and pottery. In Italy.

7. Do you watch Dancing with the Stars?

No

8. Do you think American Idol should just call it quits? Would you even miss it?

Yeah, I kinda think they should just call it quits. I have loved the show but I'm not too excited about the new season without Simon. Who will be the voice of reality for those folks coming on the show whose mamas have told them they can sing, and sing well, when clearly they cannot??? Aiyiyiyi.

Have a great weekend everyone!

9 comments:

  1. I use the crock pot liners all the time! clean up is so easy!! :>)

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  2. I hear you on the Simon fact. They must be told! I usually watch just the final twelve. I don't go to Starbucks often but I like the Green Tea Frapp. I love the liners, use them all the time. Thanks for the links to the receipes.

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  3. Crock pot liners!!!!?? What? oh this changes everything! you are not the last to know about these.

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  4. I'm going out for Crock Pot Liners right now. And no, you or Shannon were not the last to know about them.

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  5. Ummm, let me know if you need a shopping partner. lol. Have a fabulous weekend. Blessings, SusanD

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  6. Whew! I made it through. Just kidding. I like listening to you. I have had about zero time for blogging at all, but today I am reading a few. Thanks for answering the question I asked about a recipe. :) I've never used a crock pot liner, but they do look handy. I never bought shoes or pottery in Italy and I was there a couple of times. Shame on me!

    Happy Friday and if I did not wish you a happy birthday, I am doing so now. :-) Happy birthday, Joyce. xx

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  7. Crockpot liners: LOVE THEM!
    There's a crockpot group on facebook; you can get a lot of recipes there. There's also a crockpot blog that I found:
    http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

    I can't tell you how good the blog is because, well, I don't visit it as often as I'd like. (more guilt)

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  8. I would love to try the crockpot liners!
    And I am totally with you on AI

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  9. My favorite seasoning is Basil and Cinnamon. Not together mind you, but I love them both equally.
    Bucket list? Yes. I want to go to Australia and tour the country. Coastal and Outback!
    No Starbucks, since a man assaulted me with coffee (long story)
    I'm reading "The Time Traveler's Wife"
    Never wear orange.
    Love to shop for leather pocketbooks.
    Never watch American Idol, so wouldn't miss it.

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