Inspiration, Visions, Growth, Changes Revisted (Original Post 9-16-08)

Thanks to those of you who answered the questions in the 9-16-08 post about what inspires you and what you envision in the next year for yourself. You are all remarkable people and I am blessed to have you in my life. I wish for you everything you envision and more.

Theresa and Shawn Experience the Local Brewfest

(This account is written by Theresa.)

Shawn's co-worker told him about the Brewfest the Rotary Club put on each year. Since the weather was going to be nice it sounded like a great day sampling beer from all over. We had a great time at the 14th annual brewfest. We had lunch at our friends restaurant O'Conner's
They have great food and then we headed to discovery park for beers around the world.


We got 10 tokens each and a 4 oz. glass as you walk in the park. We sampled 14 different beers mopst of them IPA's, Shawn did most of the drinking I think I finished only 3 of mine. My favorite was the ipa from North Coast Brewing Company, we also liked the Sierra Neveda summerfest brew.

We sample beer from Phuket it was good, it taste a lot like the Hanino beer in Tahiti.. We sampled the wining ipa from mt Shasta brewery, I'm not so sure it was the best but.

There was live music and enough shade, for only 80 standing in the sun it was was warm.

And because we were looking for shade we found out this is one event Jason and Derek usually don;t miss. Bret and his wife recognized us. It was very nice to see them and that all is going well. He said something about JAson going to Europe next week so he could not make it. To bad, well sounds like we need to make plans for next year.

The Gift Of Life - It's Yours - Be Grateful

"The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins." Bob Moawad

" I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and wondering what life had been like if I'd just been myself." Brittany Renee

" Each day is a new canvas to paint upon. Make sure your picture is full of life and happiness, and at the end of the day you don"t look at it and wish you had painted something different." Author Unknown

"Look at everything as though you are seeing it for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory." Betty Smith

"Mistakes are part of the dues that one pays for a full life." Sophia Loren

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these." George Washingtion Carver

"At times our own light goes out and it is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has a cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." Albert Schweitzer

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie

In My Pursuit of Using What I Have.......

I am still making use of what is in my freezer and pantry. Last night for our dinner I made White Bean and Sausage Stew. I discovered soaked white beans in the freezer as well as garlic sausage, and from the pantry I took diced tomatoes, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar and dried garlic and herb bread crumbs. From the fridge came white wine and Parmesan cheese. I utilized all these ingredients in the dish.

In the pot I sauteed chopped onion and minced garlic in a little olive oil. Then added the chicken broth, white wine and drained canned diced tomatoes. I brought it to a simmer, and let it cook, covered, until the beans were tender and began to fall apart, about 1 1/2 hours. I used the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the beans to give it a creamy texture.

Then I added the garlic sausage, sliced in about 1/2-inch pieces. I allowed this to cook for about 5 minutes or so to heat the sausage. (These sausages was already cooked, so I did not precook them.)

Then I added balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and cooked for a few minutes to mellow the vinegar flavor.

Poured into a flameproof casserole, sprinkled the top with dry garlic and herb bread crumbs mixed with grated Parmesan cheese and placed under the broiler for a minute or so until lightly browned.

Ready to serve. This really is a quick and easy take on French cassoulet. I will make it again, but next time will use less balsamic vinegar or omit it all together, and will try a chicken and herb or lamb sausage.

NOTE 9/22/08 -- Leftovers prove that the balsamic vinegar should stay but perhaps cut it down by a tablespoon. The falvor is much more mellow the second day and important to the taste of the dish.

Creative, Happy and On the Go, Two

When I was a little girl, my Italian grandmother used to can onion wedge pieces in wine vinegar and we would dip them in good-quality olive oil as a snack. I haven't had them since. My grandmother died when I was only 7 years old so it has been a very long time. (I shall not say just how long that is!) Today I canned wedge pieces in red wine vinegar and slices in white wine vinegar. Both have a touch of sugar and a teaspoon of whole peppercorns. I am looking forward to dipping the wedge pieces in olive oil, and the slices will be a good condiment for many things. I will be giving some of these as gifts as well.



My home made canning processor. Just place a folded kitchen towel in the bottom of a good sized pot (this is my Italian grandmothers spaghetti pot) and you are set.

White vinegar, sugar and pepercorns, slowly heating to dissolve sugar.


Processing jars filled with sliced onions and white wine vinegar syrup in a water bath.

Processing the wedge pieces in red wine vinegar syrup in awater bath.

Wedges in red wine vinegar.

Sliceds in white wine vinegar.

Meyer lemon juice in pot to make Meyer Lemon Jelly.


Sugar and pectin waiting to be added. This recipe called for 14 cups of sugar to 8 cups of Meyer Lemon Juice. It takes a lot of patience to keep stirring over medium low heat to dissolve the sugar completely. Then it is brought to a rolling boil over medium high heat while sirring constantly (another slow process) then the liquid pectin is added, brought to a boil again and boil for 1 minute, reove from heat, skim foam quickly and fill your jars. Seal properly and put in water bath for 10 minutes if using 1/2 pint jars, 15 minutes for pint jars.

The dishcloth in the bottom of the pot works like a dream. The jars stay put and keeps the jars off the bottom of the pot.

I used half pint jars and ended up with 16 jars. This is not a clear jelly. I am looking forward to tatsing it. More gifts for friends and family.

Dinner tonight was prepped by Trader Jor's. I just had to brown and finsih off in the oven; stuffed pork chops. They are actually very tasty, though their directions made them too cooked for us and a nit dry.

I accomplished a lot as you can tell by the items crossed off my list. I thoroughly enjoyed the time in the kitchen playing!

Jars of strawberry as well as raspberry freezer jam waiting out the 24 hour setting up time. They will go in the freezer tomorrow morning.

Raspberry jam. I ran out of small jars and saw these at Walmart today while I was out shopping for my grandsons. They are made by Ball and are for freezer jams. They are plastic "jars" and the lids screw on. Great idea, and they are reasonably priced.

The smashed raspberries and sugar setting for 10 minutes before the pecton is added. I started the day at 5 AM and it is now 10 PM and I have to admit I am exhausted. Perhaps tonight I will sleep past 2:30 - 3 Am. That is when i have been waking up all week. I am ready for a complete nights sleep.

Rose and I

Wednesday was the Newcomers monthly luncheon. I am the historian this term so was there taking pictures. It is wonderful seeing all the ladies, but I have to say (and only because O know the woman who set this up doesn't know about my blog) that this restaurant and food was the worst. Ane it costs us $18 a piece. The fruit tray had fresh strawberries, grapes and cantaploupe and then there qas a pile of mixed fruit out of a can! It is a combination Mexican-Italian Resturant (yep, you read that right, eye roll) and there was no Mexican food on the buffet menu we were served, and the pnly 2 things Italian were a pasta dish and garlic bread. Outside of that there was BBQ pulled pork, BBQ chicken tenders (so salty it burned the inside of your mouth), potato salad, spinach salad, the fruit and a chocolate mousse cheesecake.

That's Gemma on the left and Carmen on the right, and nice ladies as well in the middle.

Ladies lined up for the buffet. The curtains were terrible in this room and made it dark and dreary, and one window actually had a sheet drapped for a curtain! Eye roll.

Barbara and Paulette.

I think this is a great shot and the background worked out as well. This portrait type shot needs to be blown up and framed.

Creative, Happy and On the Go

Shopping for Jacob and Justin. I found this Halloween costume for my little pumpkin face (aka Jacob). I can't wait to see him in it!

School clothes for Justin and a pair of sweat pants.

Jacob has grown right out of the clothes he has and is now in a 6 to 9 month size. he is such a healthy little boy, but it does make me sad in a way how fast he is growing.

These outfits should help keep him warm in the cold weather Truckee gets.

I like to get started early on my gifts from my kitchen and hostess gifts for the holiday season. This is my current list I am working on.

Making the Hot Creole Seasoning.

Simple and very hot!
I hve a few people in mind who will love the heat.

The Ancho Chile Powder. Roasted the dried chiles in a hot cast iron skillet, then cut them into small pieces and ground them into a powder in a coffee grinder I use for chiles.

Quick and simple.

Mixed with dried Mexican Oregano and Cumin you have Ancho Chile Powder.

How Creole Seasoning and Ancho Chile Powder.

Freezer strawberry jam. We prefer this over cooked jam because it tastes more like fresh fruit.

Meet Peony Noir. I got her out of storage in the shed and dusted her off. Her and I are getting to know one another again. I bought her when we lived in the Sonoma wine country while our house here was being built. Great memories of riding along the well planned bike paths, out to General Vallejo's home, along the Sebastiani vineyards and around the historic downtown square . They are working on the bike paths in our community so Peony Noir and I should be making new memories soon. However, I have to admit I still am not sure how to use all the gears and I don't think I will ever get used to the brakes being on the handlebars. I instinctively use the pedals!

This is the second Drinkwell Platinum this week. The first one we bought had a defect and it would overflow onto the floor. We exchanged it yesterday and this one seems to be working properly.

Okay, in a silly moment I made this. Love the concept and am tempted to hang it.