BEWARE OF THE SPOT

Dear Fur Friends 

I am here to tell you about what happened at the Vet yesterday.  Yes mother got me an Uber car and took me to get my shots.  The ride was comfortable but you know me I always vomit. Especially since I only ride in the car to go to the Vet.  Surprisingly, the vet's office was quiet.  But in the examining room before mom got it out of her mouth the Vet touched my spot.  Never, never, never touch my SPOT.  Mom said it was like I turned into the Cartoon Character The TASMANIAN DEVIL.  No one could touch me. The vet laughed at me thought it was cute.  I guess she's never had a cat with a touchy spot. I tell you how would you feel if someone touched your bum?  Do you have a touchy spot?  How do you deal with it?

                                                DON'T TOUCH THE SPOT

                                                     THE INFAMOUS SPOT

P.S.  I got meds for my snotty nose.  I sucked up to mom. So she got me some sticky goodness and let me have the bedroom to myself with my radio turned to NPR.  I know how to work the mom.

Holiday Apple Bread

Good Morning dear readers,  here's another lovely murder mystery recipe.  For those of you who don't read my blog often,  I cook recipes that I find in murder mysteries.  It's a fun thing to do and I just love the author Joanne Fluke.  Her recipes are the best to play with and create your own versions.  The bread recipe came from her book "Double Fudge Brownie Murder" and it contains a lot of recipes with a wonderful and unpredictable storyline.  So if your a foodie who loves a mystery check out the book comes with a lot of quirky and enjoyable characters.  So on to the recipe, I wanted to make something a little different for the holidays or it can be made as a family treat.  The thing I loved about the bread it was so easy and not difficult to run the hand mixer.  It wasn't has thick as the pumpkin bread which I like a lot.  The smell of the apples was incredible.  This recipe was altered to fit my families needs.  Here's what you'll need:

Set Oven 350 degrees

3/4 cups butter (left at room temperature)

1 package cream cheese (8oz) I used the kind made with Greek yogurt to cut down on fat content.

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 and 1/2 cups applesauce

3 cups all purpose flour (no sifting)

1 cup nuts  ( I used a 2 oz bag walnuts not big on nuts in my bread)

other essentials hand mixer, bread pans used 3 small ones, rubber spatula or just a good spoon

1st step

mix butter, cream cheese and sugar in mixing bowl until nice and creamy

2nd step

add the beaten eggs and the extract and mix

3rd step 

add baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg mix it all up until blended.

4th step

Measure out and pour applesauce in your batter mix up with hand mixer

5th step

Add your flour 1 cup at time mixing after each cup with mixer

6th and final step 

Fold in your nuts

Spray loaf pans with cooking spray fill pans have way with batter set oven to 350 degrees.  Cook for 35-45 minutes more if using larger pan.  Insert fork or toothpick to check for doneness.  Cool bread in pans and loosen with a knife around the edges and flip onto plate.  Now your ready to serve bon appetite

Mixed Media Easter Eggs

Good Afternoon dear readers,  I had fun decorating some plastic Easter Eggs.  I didn't want to do the usual egg decorating.  I love working with mixed media.  I started by gessoing the plastic eggs and then painting them with acrylic paint.  Some of the eggs I used a little of spray inks on them.  Then I cut strips of decorated duck tape and adhered them to the eggs.  They turned out really cool and go great in my glass handled basket.  Sorry some of the pics are a little blurry.

Thrifty Craft Finds at Dollar Tree

Good Morning dear readers, I did a little craft shopping working on some Easter Crafts.  I found some lovely decorator duck tape. These come in a lot of pretty colors great for use in all spring projects  I also found some great stickers.  So here they are go check out the deals at your local dollar tree.

Sunday Selfie-Contemplative Look

Good Afternoon dear readers,  we are late as usual for the hops.  I was able to take my picture but mom thought it needed something.  So she arted it up a little to make me look like I'm deep in thought.  I am thinking I need to stash mom's Tess Gerritson books.  She's constantly reading these graphic murder mysteries.  I'm like go back to reading the kitty cozies mom.  They're less graphic. I have to start meowing for her to turn off the light at night, she's so engrossed in those books.  Anyways she did the arting up in picmonkey by using the soft  and dark edges effect. Here I am in all my glory.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Cookies

Good Morning dear readers, Happy St. Patricks Day and I have a green treat for you today.  I love cake mix cookies and I found the perfect one for today Lime Cake Mix. This smells absolutely heavenly and if you like lime you'll love this one  Cake mix cookies are so easy to make any which way you want too.  All you need is just 4 simple ingredients and yes we've done this type before with Valentines Day and Spring Cookies.  This was adapted from a Mr. Food email feed to fit my families needs:

1 box lime cake mix used Pillsbury

1 large egg

1 spray bottle whipped cream (used 13 oz.)

1 cup powdered sugar

Set oven to 350 degrees

Mix the first 3 ingredients in mixing bowl.  Set in freezer for 20-30 minutes to make it less sticky.  Use tablespoon to make into balls and roll in powder sugar. To make it easier to roll into ball spray your hands with cooking spray Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.  Cook for 8-10 minutes first batch usually take a little longer makes about 2 dozen.  Bon Appetite.

                                               
                                    Sorry the photos are so dark the cookies are lime green colored                                                    

here's the link to the other cookies:

http://lorrainesresources.blogspot.com/2015/01/lemony-spring-and-valentines-cookies.html

CVS Trip-2 Transactions 75% Savings on Household Items

Good Morning dear readers, I finally made it to CVS for some of the Easter Candy deals.  Been a busy week its always good to get candy because you can use it in dessert recipes.  Chopping up candy bars and making brownies.  So be sure to stock up on those candies.  I found my coupons I used from the Sunday inserts.  Be sure and check out the printable coupons as well as the red machine at CVS.

So here's what I got this week.

Buy 3/$11 7UP/Root Beer  get $4 ECB'S Back

Buy 2/$6 M&M'S used $1 off from red machine

Buy 2/$6 Hershey Kisses bought 3 used $2 off coupon

Generic Flavored Water $.88

2 Peeps @ $.88 each

2 Containers of Nuts @  $4.99

2 Cadbury Creme Eggs B1G1 50% off also used $1 off coupon  $2.99

2 Starburst Jelly Beans @ $2.99 B1G1 50% off 

2-Bags GE Circus Peanuts

Received $6 in Ecb's 

total before sales/coupons   $78.71                                       after sales/coupons   $50.41

                                                          

                                                              Savings of 36%

2nd Transaction

3 Bottles of Dawn Dish Soap  @  $.99 eacg

1 Package of Quilted Northern 9 roll count @ $4.88

2 cans Friskies Rise and Shine egg cat food @ $.75  frankies so picky can't find this anywhere else so pretty much pay full price for the little nut

total before sales/coupons/ecbs  $14.35                   after sales/coupons/ecbs   $4.10

                                                          Savings of 75%

Caturday Art-Intense eyes and frankie feels abandoned

Good Morning dear readers, here's the photo that was supposed to be done last week but the storms would not let us work on it.  Frankie has been a bit of a snot this week.  I made the mistake of telling him boy and I were going to the movie theatre and all hell broke loose.  Hey wait a minute I am not a snot let me take over, Frankie here.  She left me again (older boy was here with him).  Because I got upset and ran all over the house and tried to jump on top of the kitchen cabinets, she puts me in a time out in my bedroom the absolute nerve.  When she picks up her keys to leave the next day, I give her the pitiful look. Don't go mommy(tried to get a pic camera not cooperating).  Then when she gets home from the movie theatre older boy leaves with a suitcase.  My family is abandoning me (annual church trip to Tahoe for my older son).  Okay Frankie enough nobody abandoned you.  Anyways we used pic monkey and pizap and loved how it turned out.  Have photos that didn't turn out turn them into art.  We are joining Athena cat goddess Caturday art hop come on and check it out.

                                                         original photo

                                                        Done in HDR in pic monkey

                                    Done with a white border and pink bubble overlay in pizap

Chunky Italian Chili

Good Morning dear readers, I decided to redo the Italian Chili Recipe.  I had bought Carnitas Pork Stew Meat and I wanted to try a more chunky version of the families favourite.  The boys just loved the chunkier version more meaty.  Some of the spices were changed a little but all good.  Here's what you'll need:

2 lbs Carnitas Pork Stew Meat cut into smaller pieces

2 Cans Red Kidney Beans (15oz) undrained

1 large Can Tomato Sauce (29 oz.)

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

2 tablespoons Chopped Dried Onions

1 tsp Oregano

1 tbsp Butter

Brown meat with butter in large soup pot or dutch oven.  Add kidney beans and sauce stir until blended then stir in spices.  Heat until boiling turn down burner and let simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with salad Bon appetite.

sorry everyone the other photos did not turn out.

Frankies Not So Wordless Wednesday

Good Morning sorry about no weekend cat post weather did not cooperate.  So here's the little nuts recent pic.

                                          No mom I didn't break your pretty it was the boy.

Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Good Morning dear readers,  Weather as been atrocious this past weekend and been having computer problems because of it.  Those of you who read my facebook page know that I had a recent colonoscopy done.  The doctors found some nasty little business that they removed.  The polyps were benign but precancerous.  What this means is I will have a colonoscopy done every 3 years to make sure their are no more.  I wanted to share this with you because colon cancer is on the rise at alarming rates.  After my colonoscopy I did some research on how to keep the little buggers from coming back. Here's a list of things you can do to prevent colon cancer.

1.  Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains-simple changes in your diet can be a big help for example I love tuna sandwiches instead of white bread use whole wheat with raw spinach. Give your body a boost drink a fiber supplement like Metamucil.

2.  Reduce your fat intake-this one is hard starting to use more low fat oils in cooking like olive oil.

3.  Limit Alcohol consumption

4.  No Smoking what so ever

5.  Talk to your doctor about Calcium Consumption- research is showing that it can reduce the risk of recurring polyps.

6.  Talk to your doctor about Aspirin-In the news research has stated if your on low dose aspirin for 5 or more years it can cut your risk my 32%

7.  Be physically active and maintain healthy weight-walking, swimming or even yoga can help

8.  Vitamin D-this wonderful little supplement is a miracle research has shown this is a big help in alot of  disease prevention.  I take this already because with my other meds this keeps the brain lesions from forming (I have MS).  Its also a natural anti-inflammatory agent.

9.  Drink lots of water-helps flush the body out-having a hard time get those little jug water bottles and fill it drink from it all day and that's your daily requirement right there.

10.  Early Screenings-don't wait until your fifty to get a screening especially if you have family history of colon problems or other stomach related issues.  This is one of the most important things you can do to help prevent this disease.

This is my health education post for now.  Enjoy your week if you have any wonderful whole grain recipes please send them to me.  For more updates join me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lorraine2448

Crock Pot Indonesian Pork

Good Morning dear readers,  this weeks recipe is one that I've been dying to cook.  It came from my collected recipe collection book and was found in family circle.  I've never tried recipes that use curry or coconut milk and this was a first effort.  I love how it turned out and you will love the chunks of meat and the tang of curry has it hits your tongue.  I altered this recipe to fit my families needs, don't want to make it to hot.  So here's what you'll need:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 lbs. pork I used carnitas cut into small chunks

1/2 tsp salt

pepper to taste

1 cup diced onions frozen or you can use fresh slice onion rings 

1 lb small cut up red potatoes

1/2 bag small baby carrots

1 can coconut milk

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ginger

Coat your crock pot with cooking oil

Heat up skillet with vegetable oil and add meat.  Season with salt and pepper and saute in oil for 3 minutes.

When done place meat in crock pot layer with onions, potatoes and carrots.  In your mixing bowl stir coconut milk, curry powder, soy sauce, garlic powder and ginger pour over meat and vegetables in crock pot.

Let cook in crock pot on high for 4-6 hours during cooking add salt to taste.  Serve with bread and salad Bon Appetite