Happy Holidays!

python........

Sunset one evening December 2008 out my back window

Click to enlarge

adorably cute playful kitten

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

skeletons..........can you guess or read what animals they are?

cake anyone??

PLEASE consider sending this little dying boy a Christmas card.......see story below...and link to video

Diana Biorkman needs your help in making her son's wish come true. She has a 5 year old son, Noah, in the last stages of a 2.5 year battle with Neuroblastoma Cancer. The family is celebrating Christmas next week and Noahs request is to get lots of Christmas cards. Please consider sending cards to:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountian Viewcircle
South Lyon, MI 48178

here is a link to the video......

NOAH BIORKMAN

Please send whatever you are led to send. Thanks so much!

a litte more fall........

a bit of fall.......

my version of Tandi's Tomato Pie......so delicious!

CLICK to enlarge photo!

OKay....I had seen this recipe in Country Living awhile back and today I decided to test it out. I substituted a few things. I used little grape tomatoes from my garden cut in half for the plum tomatoes....and basically just added as many as I wanted to fill the bottom of the pie crust and then another layer on top. I also do not have mayo in the house so I used some salad dressing....I think it was Sweet Valdia Onion or something like that. I used a Pillsbury refrigerator pie crust...and it may have baked a tad too long but was it so yummy!!!! SO sweet. I used onions from my garden too......and between those carmelizing a bit with my grape tomatoes....wow! Here is the original version of Tandi's Tomato Pie recipe you can try if you like!\

Tandi's Tomato Pie

1 baked pie crust
4 medium plum tomatoes (I substituted a ton of little grape tomatoes cut in half)
1 Cup chopped white onions
dash salt
dash pepper
2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh basil (or from a spice jar)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I substituted liquid salad dressing my choice)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Bake pie shell.

Mix mayo and cheeses together to form a cheese mixture.

Place 1 layer of tomatoes or about half in the bottom of the pie crust. Add 1/2 the onions and half the spices. Try to spread 1/2 the cheese mixture over this. Add another layer of tomatoes, onion, and spices and top with remaining cheese mixture. Slice a big tomato on top for decoration and add additional cheese if needed (which I did need to do) to fill in gaps on top.

Bake in 375 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes until golden brown. Cool 20 minutes before cutting to serve.

I think other cheeses would be good to try too like smokey cheese and gouda or Swiss...I do not normally eat any cheese but Parmesan on occasion or string cheese. BUT I have been wanting to try this recipe for so long now. I would HIGHLY recommend you try it sometime! SO delicious and simple to make! MEATLESS too for those veg heads out there!

a few vintage cars from the local fire parade Saturday........

my homemade pizza............it is the best around

some fair videos.......from the 153rd Great Darke County Fair

time for a quick nap at the county fair........

Santa's Magic Watch..........CLICK TO ENLARGE FOR BETTER VIEW!

Ominous clouds in Darke County.......

I happened to notice the sky in the parking lot when I had to run into Staples a few weeks back......some amazing storm clouds were brewing!

After losing access to my blogs for a couple of days I am back!

There must have been some glitch with Google/Blogger as I and MANY others lost access to our blogs for a couple of days. SO tonight I am thankful!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Cloudy skies.........

Giant hornest's NEST!

I got myself a little travelocity gnome!

There is just something about these little guys that I like. I have wanted to get myself one for a long time now. I decided to get this little guy from Big Lots as it was marked way down already for end of summer sales. I did not put him outside for fear someone might steal him. I put him in my kitchen for now....and he looks perfect and I can enjoy seeing him there every day where I could not if he were sitting out front or back.

good morning sun! (CLICK to enlarge)

Cracker Barrel had some wonderful items for the home and garden on sale a week or so ago when we went there for breakfast. I loved this so much I got one for my uncle for a thank you gift but also got myself one. I stuck mine in the kitchen window for now where the sunlight catches in the sun's face and looks beautiful. CLICK on the image to see it big and up close!

Full Buck Moon July 7, 2009! AWESOME raspberry colored moon!

WOW...did you all see this moon last night as it was rising? It was awesome! SO LARGE and SO RASPBERRY in color!! A few Indian tribes have also called the Full Buck Moon "Full Blood Moon" or "Raspberry Moon" or even "Red Berries Moon" because when it rises it appears reddish in color. I could not believe I had the chance to see this moon exactly like that as it first rose last night!

The Full Buck Moon is known as such because it is the time when buck deer sprout velvety new antlers. It can also be known as the "Full Thunder Moon" because thunderstorms are more frequent during this month. It symbolizes a time of harvesting and enjoyment of crops of the season. To some this is the "Blessing Moon". Energy moves into creation. Opportunities for self-reliance and confidence, unity and balance abound. It can also be known as the "Hay Moon" or "Meadow Moon" because the meadows are at their greatest point of growth in this month and it is a time for hay cutting. Some have even called it "Ripe Corn Moon," "Herb Moon," "Grass Cutter Moon, and "Hungry Ghost Moon."

THANKS EVERYONE!!

for all the birthday wishes! I spent a quiet day at home with my son. I never even got out of my pajamas the entire day! It was nice....

Full Buck Moon, July 6, 2009

in the garden after a rain.......(my parent's backyard)

The Moon Sunday night...at dusk....June 28, 2009

I was sitting upright in a regular lawn chair.....using my Lumix point and shoot camera......NO tripod.....zoomed in 40x....

the moon was so pretty

Lily pad......

the moon Tuesday morning around 2:30 a.m.

one of our wild bunnies napping by our overturned kiddie pool... CLICK photos to see him up close!

we have a few bunnies this year in the yard..this tiny guy has been the newest to make an appearance. A much larger one also is hanging around. The two will chase each other around the pool and under it and then fight over this same sleeping spot. They each take turns napping there. I had to try to snap a few through my kitchen window. He is adorable.

Weight Watcher's Spinach and Cheese Quiche (3 points and 139 calories per 1/12th slice)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

1 (12 ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk
1/3 cup low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Basic pie Crust baked and cooled (recipe to follow)
1 box frozen spinach thawed, drained and squeezed dry (10 oz box)

Basic Pie Crust (SUPER good pie crust - 114 calories, 3 points per 1/8th slice/section)

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8th teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cold butter, unsalted, diced
2 Tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 to 3-1/2 Tablespoons ICE water

Mix flour, sugar, salt together. Cut in butter and shortening. Add vinegar....then ice water stirring just till ball forms. Flatten to patty and place in plastic or foil and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Roll out as you normally would with flour or between plastic wrap. Place in 10-in pie pan.....price sides and bottom with fork and bake till slightly brown...about 15 minutes or so in 400 degree oven.

COOL crust.

Meanwhile for filling of quiche:

WHISK together the evaporated milk, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and egg whites, salt, and pepper.

On top of cool pie crust sprinkle spinach......pour liquid mixture above over spinach......place on cookie sheet or baking pan and bake for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees.....turn oven down to 350 and continue baking until center comes clean with knife. Mine took longer than recipe said ( they said 20 minutes longer) but mine took more like another 30 minutes longer. Allow to cool. Cut into 12 slices or 6...but if 6 remember to double points and calories if you are counting those.

This was actually very good and pretty simple to make. I think what would have made it better would be tomatoes added to it....so next time I have a slice I am going to slice up tomatoes on top. I also think fresh spinach would be better than frozen and you CAN use fresh. You just have to steam about 8 cups of fresh washed and trimmed spinach leaves for about 2 minutes till wilted...then chop up.



ENJOY!