May's Reading List

May Book List

These are the books I read in May:

Reflection Point by Emily March - Eternity Springs Series
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy 
A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen
Scandal .. at the Willamina Quilt Show by Patsy Brookshire
Tangled Ashes by Michèle Phoenix
Love Starts with Elle by Rachel Hauck
TripTych by Karin Slaughter - Will Trent Series
Planter's Punch by Tom Schreck (with J A Konrath) Short Novella
Vanished by Irene Hannon - Private Justice Series
A Nose for Justice by Rita Mae Brown - Mags and Baxter
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani - Big Stone Gap VA Series
A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman - Shipshewana Amish

What are you reading?

Summer is here!

I'm ready for the beach.

Remember

Freedom isn't free.  We honor the American Military for defending our personal freedoms.

Wow

What a storm, I wasn't scared!

Happy Sunday

Have a smiley day!

Leak

I gotta fix that leak!

Feels Good

Nice and soft

Carrot and Cauliflower Cream Soup

Carrot and Cauliflower Cream Soup

1 Head of Cauliflower, cut into pieces

8 Carrots, chopped

1 bunch of Celery, chopped

24 oz of Mushrooms, chopped

2 Red Onions, chopped

6 cloves of Garlic Cloves

Ginger knob, minced (About 2 inch by 2 inch knob)

4 cups of Carrot juice

2 cups of Water

2 cups of Cashews

8 cups of Kale, Washed really well - Remove stems and chopped

Spices:

1 teaspoon of Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon of  Fenugreek Powder

1 teaspoon of Paprika

1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon of Curry Powder

1/4 teaspoon of ground Pepper

Add all the ingredients including spices Except Kale and Cashews.

Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Watch it's hot  - Remove about 6 cups of cooked soup - juice and veggies and put into a blender along with the Cashews.

Blend until smooth and creamy.

In the meantime, add the Kale to the leftover soup.

The Kale won't take long to cook. 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the creamed mixture back to the pot.

Great by itself. Or you can ladle soup over some brown rice or brown rice noodles.

Today, we had it ladled over Mai Fun, Brown Rice Angel Hair Noodles.

I make a big batch because it freezes really well.

Happy Mother's Day!

Whole Wheat Bran Pretzels with Cinnamon and Raisins

I made more pretzels.

I used this same recipe:

Baked some Bran Pretzels today!

But added 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon

and 1/2 cup of raisins.

Instead of making them into a pretzel shape.

I made them into a circle.

They turned out great!

 

 

 

Air Plant

Will this grow?  An Air Plant, upside down and no water - we'll see.

Banana Bread Pudding

Banana Bread Pudding

This is for leftover banana bread.
Of course, leftover banana bread freezes well when fresh, but this loaf was made 3 days ago so I thought what could I do with it
I decided to try using it to make banana bread pudding.
I have to tell you how great my kitchen smelled while the pudding was baking.

Here's what I made:

1/2 loaf of Banana Bread cut into cubes about  1/2 inch to 3/4 inch
1/4 cup butter
2 large eggs
1/4 cup of honey
1 cup cream
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon peel
1 tsp lemon extract
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup raisins
2 bananas sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 3 quart baking dish
I used an eight cup measuring cup to mix all the ingredients.
Melt the butter
Add honey and stir, add cream, eggs and mix together.
Add cinnamon, vanilla, lemon peel, lemon extract and stir.
Add walnuts, raisins and bananas.
Add the banana bread cubes.
Mix altogether.
Spoon into the greased baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.
Check doneness by inserting a knife in the center. If it comes out clean, it is done.

I Saw A...

I saw a beautiful butterfly!

May 5 - Cinco De Mayo

Blue Jeans Teddy

I'm just a blue jeans kinda teddy bear