Satisfied A Craving - Day 147

For the last several days I have had a nagging craving for pizza...really good thin crust New York style pizza. Tonight I took care of the craving with a visit to Carmela's with my husband Mike. We ordered our pizza with prosciutto, onions and meatballs. Oh man, it was perfect. You know when you feed your body exactly what it told you it wanted. You know how good that feeling is?! That is how I feel right now. Perfect.

Many hugs,

Kathy

Back in the Kitchen - Day 146

After a three day leave of absence from the kitchen, I am back! Tonight I made a corn chowder with leftover ham, fresh corn, Yukon gold potatoes, cream and chicken stock. It was the perfect dinner on this chilly night. I served it with some slightly stale wheat rolls, split, topped with cheddar cheese and toasted in the oven.

Back in the Kitchen Corn Chowder

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. thyme
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups half and half
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
fresh corn cut off 4 ears of corn
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Melt the butter with olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme, garlic and cook until soft and transparent...about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth, cream and potatoes. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 7 minutes. Add the corn, salt, pepper. hot sauce and Parmesan cheese and cook for 10-12 minutes until corn is tender. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Many hugs,

Kathy

A Drive Thru Day - Day 145

Today was not a banner foodie day. In fact, it was just plain unhealthy and frankly, not that tasty. I had to take an art book proof up to Gainesville and then on to Clearwater this evening, so much of the day was spent in the car. And all of my meals came from a drive thru and were eaten on the run. For lunch, Chik-Fil-A was the choice. I inhaled a Chik-Fil-A sandwich and carrot raisin salad. Dinner was...UUG. The only thing that was around was McDonald's. I really don't like McDonald's hamburgers, so I opted for the most unhealthy item on the menu. The Fish Fillet sandwich meal. As if I hadn't already hardened my arteries enough with a fried chicken sandwich for lunch, I hastened the process with a fried fish sandwich topped with cheese and tartar sauce and a side of french fries. Double UUG!!!!!

The only thing the day's meals satisfied was my cash starved wallet. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Many hugs and meals eaten at a table,

Kathy

Leave of Absence - Day 144

I tossed and turned all night worrying about my Gators and the safety of my son on his drive back to Raleigh. Why women seem to get a more than ample share of the worry gene, I will never know! Ryan left around 7:00 a.m. and I began the day in a lazy, tired stupor. Costco was like a ghost town today, so my stupor continued. No people plus no energy equals no wine sales. My whopping total for the day was 26 bottles. Not my most banner performance.

I did have a nice break when Anthony, one of the Costco regulars, stopped by to ask me to e-mail my cookie recipes to his wife Julia. I shared a couple of cookies with Anthony last week and he, in turn, shared with his wife. They both loved them and now every time he walks by, I get the thumbs up sign. Very cool!

The time passed as slowly as our computer opens files. Finally, five hours passed and it was time to head home. Ryan sent me a text that he arrived safely in Raleigh. I called Mike and found out that Urban had changed his mind about resigning. Instead, he was going to take a leave of absence. I also decided to continue my leave of absence from my kitchen and Mike suggested we go to Bahama Breeze for one of our appetizer dinners we are so fond of. We enjoyed warm spinach dip and soup. Very comforting and very relaxing. Sitting with Mike talking Gators was the highlight of my day. He seemed proud of the way our Alma Mater handled the situation. The next few months will be very interesting...full of stories. And after all, life is all about the stories.

Many hugs,

Kathy

I'm Done...And So Is Urban - Day 143

Well the last two months have taken their toll on my desire to spend time in the kitchen. Late last night after I washed the last dish in the sink and put away the last of the Christmas feast, I pronounced myself officially done...at least for a few days. I gave it everything I had night after night. It is definitely time for something different...spending quality time with my family.

And today I did exactly that. Mike and I embarked on a trip to the fair grounds with the hopes of finding a computer that would not make your head explode. The "Spectacular Sale" required an $8.00 admission fee that made it seem less than spectacular. We quickly headed back to our car and decided to grab a burger at a spot advertised on the radio - Johnny's Fillin' Station. It is kind of a dive joint in South Orlando that has been voted Orlando's Best Burger for several years. The burger and steak fries were both quite good and the price agreed with our cash starved wallet.

Tonight was spent with my two favorite guys in the entire universe - my husband, Mike and my son, Ryan. I talked them into going to a "Kathy movie" - It's Complicated with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. The movie was great. I would highly recommend it. With about 30 minutes to go, Ryan leaned over to tell me Urban Meyer had resigned as coach of Florida. He had received about 20 text messages during the film. As soon as the film was over, I told Mike. In shock, we went to an appetizer and drinks dinner at the Elephant Bar. Every TV had something about Urban's resignation. We all tried to figure out who would be Urban's successor. It was a crazy night I will never forget. I loved our time together.

As shocking as Urban's decision was to handle, I actually can understand why he felt a need to step back and focus on what is really important in life...family.

Many hugs,

Kathy

Merry Christmas - Day 142

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends. Hope you had a day filled with love, good food and conversation. I sure did.

Many hugs,

Kathy

The Last Batch! - Day 141

I did it. I took the last batch of cookies out of the oven and did a little happy dance. This season I spread around lots of hugs and got many back in return. Hope you all have a very merry Christmas and to all a good night.

Many hugs,

Kathy

Ran Out Of Gas - Day 140

Today was a tough one. I think I must have contracted food poisoning yesterday from lunch at Whole Foods. Last night was not pretty as I attempted to bake for my office party today. I baked two batches - one Naked Chocolate Chip Cookies for all my co workers with nut allergies. They spread a little too much. So for the next batch of Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies with extra nuts, I decided to add extra flour. These turned out like hockey pucks. I have always said baking is a combination of feel and science. Mood definitely affected how my cookies turned out.

This afternoon I was presented with the coolest gift by my friends Sheri and David. They created a limited edition cookbook for 40 of their closest family and friends. It includes some of their favorite recipes, plus contributions from family and friends. How cool is that?!

Tonight was supposed to be my final night of baking, but somewhere between Sweet Tomatoes and WalMart, I ran out of gas. Not literally, but I just could not bring myself to pull out the ingredients and tackle another batch of dough. Hopefully tonight I can recharge and begin in the morning. My close friends are counting on me and I don't want to let them down.

Many hugs,

Kathy

It's All Worth It - Day 139

It's 1:00 a.m. I was feeling tired and disappointed that I did not get more cookies made for the work party tomorrow. Then I opened my personal e-mail and saw the photo from Geni of Doug and his Gator basket. Suddenly all the hours of no sleep seem totally worth it. Doug is battling leukemia. He loves the Gators and he loves sugar cookies. Hopefully the basket will help ease some of the challenges he faces with his battle.

Many hugs and a leukemia cure,

Kathy

My New Name - Day 138

Today was just plain fun! I delivered the fruits of yesterday's effort. Geni loved the Gator basket I made for the family dealing with leukemia. My friends in Tampa were elated when I walked in the door with basket in hand. They gave me a new name. I am no longer Kathy. I am now "Awesome Cookie Lady". It has a very nice ring to it.

For dinner I stopped by Athena Cafe for a Greek salad and Pastichio. Then I headed home to do something different...bake. I am almost to the finish line and it feels great. Since I have basically lived in the kitchen for the past 2 months, it is about the last thing I want to do on Christmas eve and Christmas day. So... we made a reservation for dinner at Carrabba's on Christmas eve and plans to pick up a Holiday Feast to go from Mimi's Cafe for Christmas day. It seems a little extravagant for a cash starved foodie, but I actually would spend far more at the grocery store. I am so ready for a break and so ready to let someone else do the cooking and cleaning up for a change.

Many hugs,

Kathy

Baking Spirits Bright - Day 137

I realize my blog is getting a little redundant these days. I need to mix in a little bit of something besides baking. But today is not the day for that. Today is the day for baking spirits bright. I took myself to breakfast at Panera before beginning 13 hours of dough making, baking, rolling, cookie cutting, icing, bagging, bow tying and basket assembling. My son Ryan got home from North Carolina mid afternoon to attend the Beck family Christmas. I put together a platter of cookies for him to take and out the door he went. I needed a break so I took a trip to the grocery store and picked up beef tacos from Tijuana Flats for dinner. Then is was back to baking...and baking...and more baking. Once again I find myself on the other side of midnight with sore feet, sore back and a full heart. Tomorrow I am dropping off a Gator themed basket for a family dealing with Leukemia. The Gator sugar cookies I made were really cool. I hope they like them as much as I enjoyed putting making them.

Many hugs,

Kathy

No Work Celebration - Day 136

What a wonderful way to spend a weekend...no work for two whole days! I got up a little before nine, got dressed and headed for Park Avenue to visit my friend Kenda at Peterbrooke Chocolates. I purchased a few Christmas gifts then strolled through the Farmer's Market and Williams Sonoma. The weather was absolutely beautiful...blue skies and a crisp coolness in the air.

My friend Susan called this morning in a little panic about baking cookies for her Christmas party tonight. She didn't have the ingredients or the cookie sheets. I offered to make Peppermint Bark cookies and she gratefully accepted my offer. She needed them by 5:00. My leisurely pace left me little time to bake. After a couple of stops I managed to get all the baking supplies I needed and headed home to bake. I love the festive look of these cookies. I managed to finish the cookies just in the nick of time to deliver to Susan.

Errands and Christmas shopping consumed most of my evening. Late tonight I managed to make a couple of batches of dough while being serenaded by my roommate Jim's snoring. At least I was comforted that my baking noise was not keeping him awake. Tomorrow will be all about baking and another celebration of no work.

Many hugs and days off,

Kathy

It's a Wonderful Life - Day 135

I whisked Mike off to the airport for his bowling trip to Vegas and embarked on another wonderful day. I mixed cookie basket delivery in with a little work. Little did I know that a proof delivery would result in a very cool encounter with Timmie the Gator. Caroline, the animal trainer asked if I would like to hold Timmie the baby gator and before I realized..."YES!" came out of my mouth and Timmie was in my grasp. Born in 2008, Timmie was 1-2 feet long. Holding him made me giddy. It was such a cool experience. Before I walked out the door, Dennis presented me with my recycled cookie basket filled with cookie cutters, treat bags, a homemade card and homemade toffee cookies. I think I may have mentioned once or twice before...I have the best friends.

Lunch was a treat with my co-workers by one of our paper vendors. I enjoyed blackened grouper with saffron rice, relaxing conversation and no check at the end of the meal. What a treat!

After work Dennis asked me to join him in downtown Winter Garden for Christmas lights, barbecue and a Christmas play at the local community theater. Driving through the center of town reminded me of one of my favorite Christmas movies -"It's a Wonderful Life". The Winter Garden Heritage Club has done a remarkable job with revitalization. The center of town bustled with families. A small combo played live music on the town square. People swung on porch swings as they listened to the music and soaked in the Christmas lights. Dennis and I dined at Harry and Larry's, a local barbecue joint in the center of town. The brisket sandwich was tender, flavorful and piled high on Texas toast. It came with two sides. I opted for sweet potato fries and "Q" stew. While Dennis and I talked, I inhaled every drop of food on my plate. Then it was on to the Winter Garden theater for the slapstick comedy - "Sleigh". The cast did a great job with the slapstick. A little girl in the audience heightened the experience with her giggles. After the play we got ice cream. Peppermint ice cream was the icing on the cake to another perfect day.

It's a wonderful life!

Many hugs and trips to downtown Winter Garden,

Kathy

A Successful Experiment - Day 134

During the last few weeks I have experimented to find the perfect Peppermint Bark Cookie and I finally found a winner.

Kathy's Peppermint Bark Cookies

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/8 tsp. peppermint extract
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups peppermint bark, coarsely chopped
crushed peppermint candies

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined. Do not overbeat. With a wooden spoon, fold in chocolate chips and peppermint bark.

4. Form ball of dough, each about 1/4 cup; place on prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake until puffed and cracked, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. As soon as you take them out of the oven, sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Many Hugs and Happy Holidays!

Kathy

A Really Good Day - Day 133

Today was a really good...no GREAT day. I went to lunch with Rosalyn and Beth and enjoyed great food and conversation. I delivered cookie baskets to my client friends with enthusiastic reactions from all. The e-mailed thank you I received from Dennis and the gang pretty much sums up why my day was so good. It reminds me once again why I bake a cookie marathon night after night.

My friend Carolyn's mom made me a special appetizer when I stopped by this evening to go over a project...ahi sushi, boiled shrimp, cheese and crackers and hot tea. What an unexpected surprise.

The icing on the cake was another great evening spent with my husband. We had dinner at Dexter's in Winter Park. Drinks, good food and more great conversation made my day just about perfect.

Many hugs and more days like today,

Kathy

Cookie Baking Marathon - Day 132

I may never run a marathon, but today I baked a marathon. And now I feel like a runner must feel after 26 miles. I baked SEVEN batches of cookies, assembled ELEVEN baskets, and finally created a Peppermint Bark Cookie recipe that I think is a keeper. Tomorrow I will post the recipe to both of my blogs.

Many hugs,

Kathy

A Wonderful Evening With Mike - Day 131

Today was a LONG day after very little sleep last night. I was extremely tired, so when Mike offered to take me to Cheesecake Factory for one of our appetizer dinners, I was all in. Cheesecake Factory offers a small plate section on their menu that Mike and I are very fond of. We each had a drink. A Shock Top for Mike, a house chardonnay for me. Then we ordered three small plates - cheese stuffed garlic rolls with marinara, a beet, arugula and goat cheese salad for me, mini corn dogs for Mike. We talked Gator football history and reminisced about our favorite players over the years. It was a wonderful relaxing evening with absolutely no baking involved and the bill didn't do much damage to our cash starved wallet. I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I have the most wonderful husband in the entire universe. He has the patience of a saint to put up with a lunatic like me.

Many hugs and more time with Mike,

Kathy

It's All About The Cookies - Day 130

This morning I bagged cookies for my Costco buddies and played cookie fairy when I got to work. Their reactions were so cool. The demonstrators are used to giving and giving and giving. They never receive, so they really appreciated the treat. I happy danced my way through the afternoon. A couple of my regular customers stopped by and they were happy recipients of cookies as well.

Tonight was also all about the cookies. I baked Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Tri Berry and Cranberry White Chocolate Pecan Cookies. Then packaged them in baskets for Tracy to take to her customers tomorrow. I love the holiday colors for the packaging. Once again Mike is trying to sleep while I peck away on my posting. Time to go to bed. Tomorrow is another crazy cookie day.

Many hugs,

Kathy

A Me Day - Day 129

For the first time in a very long time, I had a Saturday all to myself with no place I had to go...no work...no football game...no party to plan. I could do whatever I wanted to do. Mike had to go to St. Pete to take a test. I had errands to run...if I felt like it.

I slept until 9:00. Then headed to Sam's and Costco for baking ingredients. At noon, Alton Brown, of Food Network fame was going to be at the Winter Park Costco where I work. I tried to time my errands to see him and possibly get a book signed. Oh my, the line was incredible. Some of my demo buddies said people started lining up at 3:00 in the morning. Alton's signing venue was set up right where I normally do my wine demo. I watched him interact with customers for a while, shot a couple of photos and decided no signature was worth a crazy wait like this.

I dropped off my groceries at home and headed back out to do mundane errands and shop. For lunch I decided to try Mima's Cuban Cafe for a Media Noche sandwich. A place with Mima in the name, even if it was spelled wrong, had to be good. It actually was. Sweet bread filled with roasted pork, Serrano ham, cheese, mustard and pickles was pressed like a Cuban. The contrast of the sweet bread with the savory filling was delicious. I would definitely go back. The place had a homey charm and the prices were reasonable. My sandwich served with chips was a little over $6.00.

Tonight Mike and I went to Bahama Breeze for an appetizer and drink dinner in the bar. We had a great meal of spinach dip, beef patties and chicken tortilla soup. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Many hugs,

Kathy

Feeling Philosophical - Day 128

The alarm went off at 7:00 and I groaned. Oh my goodness was I tired! I showered, dressed, walked Maddie and proceeded to assemble baskets and bags of cookies baked the night before. Then the phone started ringing. First my cell, then the home phone, then my cell again. Not good, I thought, but I pressed on. This morning was the morning I met with the bank manager to discuss the forty cookies bags he wanted to order. After I finished everything, I stepped back to survey my work. Not bad, not bad at all. Oh no, it was 9:05 and I had to be to my meeting by 9:30. No time for pictures. No time for family challenges and drama. I jumped in the car with my wares and headed to the appointment. Family guilt got the best of me, so I placed a call to hear all the details. Not good and certainly something I don't want to talk about and don't want to think about. The bank meeting also didn't go the way I imagined. The bank manager wanted me to offer the bags at a bargain basement price because he was ordering forty. I know this is a tremendous opportunity to promote my business, but I don't have the resources to do it for free. After all, I am cash starved.

My cookies are hand crafted from the finest ingredients. They are chocked full of nuts, chocolate, dried fruit and hugs. They have value and damn it...so do I. I left a couple of bags full of cookies for the bank staff, smiled, shook hands and headed out the door with a new sense of self worth.

Lunch was one of the highlights of my day. Kat, my co-worker, and I met our client friends, Michael, Carolynn and Patrick for lunch at their company cafeteria. The food was amazing and reasonably priced. I treated the five of us to a great lunch for $29.00.

This afternoon I headed to Gainesville for work. I delivered cookies to Lee and the gang, but forgot to take a picture for my smile collection.

Then it was on to Micanopy at dusk to see my dad and deliver his cookies. "Downtown" Micanopy looked so dressed up in Christmas lights, especially the Herlong Mansion. If you have never experienced Micanopy, a small town outside of Gainesville, you really must go. For a moment, you will feel like you stepped back in time. In a place where everyone knows your name...and your business.

Which brings me to the philosophical part of my day...
As I drove back from Micanopy, I contemplated the events of the day...especially the family challenges. I thought about how one person's actions can affect so many. That a thoughtless act or series of acts, can have such a ripple affect. And I felt very sad. Then I remembered having a similar thought a few years ago, with a very different perspective. One of my clients had just passed away. He was the general manager of a large hotel and I had the pleasure of working with him for many years. He had a larger than life personality, was very demanding, a perfectionist and brought out the best in those around him. His service was held at the hotel he had built. As I headed into the ballroom for the service, I was amazed at the number of people...at least 300 in attendance. They represented all walks of life...from military generals to housekeeping personnel. And all had been positively affected by this one man. How amazing that one person's positive actions can have such a ripple affect on so many. This is how I want to live my life. Live it by "the Power of Good".

Many hugs,

Kathy

Cookie Crazed - Day 127

It is 1:53 a.m. and I just finished baking for the night. The cookie craze has officially begun. Needless to say I am too exhausted to write much of a posting tonight. I baked four batches of cookies for my bags and baskets tomorrow - Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Blueberry Pecan, Spumoni and Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pecan. Sweet Dreams!

Many hugs,

Kathy

A Chance To Reconnect - Day 126

Tonight I met my friends, Chris, Lynne and Dewayne for dinner @ Bahama Breeze in the heart of tourist country. It was great to have a chance to reconnect and of course I brought cookies for each of them. Unfortunately Chris had to cut the evening short because he was not feeling well...or maybe he just couldn't wait to get back to the hotel room to break into those cookies. Lynne and I stayed a while and shared stories of the good personal vibes that have been born out of the challenges of the current state of our world. It is a shame that it takes our mutual friend Chris to come from Boston to get us together when we both live in Orlando.

The journey toward a REAL cookie business took another baby step forward this afternoon. I received a call from the bank where Kenda and I opened our business dream account. They asked if I would be interested in making 40 small holiday cookie bags for some of their business customers. I made an appointment for Friday morning to discuss the details. All I can say is...WOW! Time for a happy dance!!!!!

When I got home late this evening I had a craving for a little taste of something sweet. I pulled out a piece of the Lavenilla Toffee that Victoria sent me for my birthday and took a nice big bite and a nice big chunk of my front tooth came along with it. I look like a jack-0-lantern. Damn...time for a pouty shuffle.

Many hugs,

Kathy

Christmas Cookie Time - Day 125

Tonight the cooking baking began, but not at the frenzied pace I was predicting. I baked a batch of Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies that turned out just right. Then it was on to experiment with a Peppermint Bark Cookie using my base cookie recipe and adding peppermint bark, white chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips. The experiment is still a work in progress. I just can't quite get the right balance of flavors. I packaged the cookies in festive holiday bags with ribbon closures and will pass out to clients and friends tomorrow.

Many hugs and fewer failed experiments,

Kathy

Calm Before The Storm - Day 124

Tonight was the calm before the storm. The Christmas party planning, decorating and cooking frenzy just ended. The Christmas cookie baking frenzy is about to begin. I opted for a frozen California Pizza Kitchen pizza and salad for dinner with Mike. I played on the computer with Monday Night Football in the background and accomplished absolutely nothing. Well, that is not entirely true. I caught my breath and braced for the onslaught that will begin tomorrow. Aaaaaaaah.

Many hugs,

Kathy

The Morning After - Day 123

This morning began in a way not often seen in my household. I slept in until 10:30. I apologized to my husband for being such a butthead yesterday. And I didn't eat. In fact, other than a mini eclair and several cups of coffee, I haven't eaten since noon yesterday. Maybe I have finally found the perfect diet - stress mixed with a Gator loss and lots of cooking.

Work at Costco was kind of cool. My mom was stationed one aisle over from me demonstrating Goat Brie Cheese. She looked so cute in her hair net and visor. I almost didn't recognize her.

Work today also had an added advantage...it gave me time to soak in the holidays. I gazed at poinsettias, Christmas cactus and fresh greenery wreaths. I listened to Christmas music. I watched families buy gifts and goodies. It is official...I caught the spirit.

Many hugs,

Kathy

With the Help of Family and Friends - Day 122

Well the big day finally arrived...our annual Christmas party to kick off the season AND the SEC Championship game between Florida and Alabama. It had all the makings of the perfect storm.

The day began with a first trip to the vet with our dog, Maddie. Her flea medication was not working. She was infested with fleas and losing her hair everywhere. Maddie actually did much better than I expected in handling the stress of the situation. On to run last minute errands for the party and finally around noon I began to do party prep. The party started at 7:00 and seven hours seems like an eternity, but the hours flew by at warped speed. Mike ran around cleaning everything. He always gets to do the least appreciated stuff. And unfortunately I get so wrapped up in all the food prep that I don't tell him how much it mean to me. So Mike... you are the bomb!

Around 3:00, my friend, Vicky came by to drop off the Cinnamon Rum Sauce she made for the Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding we were serving tonight. I don't think she realized what she was getting herself into. I needed help and I needed it BAD! We chopped, we planned, we did all the things I normally would have done the night before. And the time continued to fly by. I have the bad habit of always tackling more items than I should. If more is good, then the mostest is better. Or so I think. Everyone descended on the party at around the same time and congregated in the kitchen like they usually do...and I wasn't ready. I REALLY wasn't ready. I was flustered and embarrassed.

To make matter worse, the Gators were playing as badly as I had prepared. Mike was VERY disappointed in their performance. He needed his time alone to mourn and was thrust into a mass of family and friends. Out came the Dewar's and water to make his spirits bright.

I finally got all the food out with a lot of help from my friends. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and company. I really don't know if it was a success because I didn't get a chance to try anything of do much socializing. Once again as I put away the food in the wee hours of the morning, I relected on the day and how rich I am with the people in my life...both family and friends that put up with me and all my quirks and character flaws. To Mike, Vicky, Michael, Mom, David, Beth, Carolyn, Jim, Susan, Kevina, Melissa and Kenda...I couldn't have done it without you. You all are "the Power of Good"!

I was too busy to take pictures, but here is the menu -
Spicy Shrimp and Andouille Sausage over
Baked Garlic Cheddar Grits (Michael)
Veggie Pizza (Susan)
Roasted Pepper Dip (Beth)
Buffalo Chicken Dip (Kevina)
Soup Shots including
Roasted Garlic Soup (Melissa)
Creamy Tomato Garlic Soup
Chicken Corn Chowder
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Italian Meats, Cheeses and Olives
Garden Focaccia Bread (David and Sheri)
Chicken Skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce (grilled by Jim)
Burger Sliders (grilled by Jim, enjoyed by Tom)
Rum Cake (Beth)
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with
Cinnamon Rum Sauce (Vicky)
Mini Eclairs
Peppermint Bark
Mom's Fudge (Mom)


Many hugs and thanks for my loved ones,

Kathy

Olive Garden Day - Day 121

Today was all about Olive Garden. I met my co-workers, Kat and Danielle, for a rare lunch together. Today was cold, rainy and definitely a "Soup, Salad and Breadsticks" kind of day and Olive Garden fit the bill. We each ordered a different soup. Kat was a Chicken Gnocchi girl. Danielle was all about Minestrone. And I ordered Zuppa Toscana. Portions were unlimited. Service was excellent. The bill was reasonable at $6.95 plus tax and tip.

Recently long forgotten Coupon Cory paid a visit to my e-mail with coupons for three Darden restaurants...$5.00 off two entrees at LongHorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden or Red Lobster. Our spot for dinner was chosen by my husband Mike. He opted for Olive Garden. Since lunch was so good, I had no problem with that. I ordered a glass of house red wine and the Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto. Mike ordered the Shrimp and Chicken Carbonara. Both were absolutely delicious and once again the service was excellent.

Tonight was party prep time. I made two Chocolate Chip Bread Puddings and set out ingredients for various marinades for the morning. Tomorrow is going to be full throttle all day, so Saturday's posting may be completed Sunday morning.

Many hugs and trips to Olive Garden,

Kathy

Blah...Blah...Blah - Day 120

I am all about multitasking and the Super Target Deli really helps. Christmas party errands at lunch seem to be a daily requirement and for the last two days I grabbed a salad at the Super Target Deli. Yesterday I opted for the Chicken Cobb Salad - fresh romaine lettuce topped with grilled chicken, crumbled blue cheese, bacon, sliced hard boiled eggs, grape tomatoes and a creamy parm dressing. Today I was feeling kind of spicy, so the Southwest salad was the choice. The romaine was topped with fire roasted corn salad, roasted pepper salad, grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, tortilla strips and a spicy ranch dressing. At $3.99, these are definitely a good, quick lunch for the cash starved on the run.

Yesterday I picked up chocolates for Kat's chocolate drawer. This afternoon I raided the drawer and grabbed TWO Peppermint Bark Dove Chocolates. They are worth getting chubbier for. A layer of dark chocolate topped with white chocolate mixed with crunchy peppermint pieces...Mmmmmmmmmm!

My mom called this afternoon and is going to start working as a CDS demonstrator at Costco tomorrow. She is so excited. It will be kind of cool if we work on the same day.

Tonight I finished decorating the house and grocery shopping for the party. Dinner was a sushi tray from Publix which included a California roll, tuna roll, cucumber roll and shrimp salad roll. It hit the spot and was fairly easy on the wallet at $5.99.

Many hugs and more interesting postings,

Kathy

Pollyanna Ramblings - Day 119

What happened to caring about others? When exactly did we head down the path of the "ME!" generation. Whenever it was, whatever happened, I want to turn back the clock. If all those selfish, unhappy people only knew how simple the key to happiness is...
Giving of yourself brings such joy, such contentment. It can be given in the most simple gesture...a smile...a hug...an ear to listen...a shoulder to cry on...even a silly cookie. But they just don't seem to understand and I have to find a way to communicate the concept.

Today something wonderful happened. I was awarded a hefty printing job that has to be completed by the end of the year. Why is this so special? During these troubled economic times, the industry I work in - printing has been devastated. Hours have been cut. Layoffs have occurred. Morale is at an all-time low. This project will give all the employees that support my sales more hours at a time when they definitely could use them. This job was awarded because of a relationship...because of trust...because of "the Power of Good". I can't begin to fathom how big a basket of HeartSong Cookies is coming to the person who made this happen...Kim. But trust me, it will be immense and I will be forever grateful.

Many hugs and Pollyanna thoughts,

Kathy

Turkey Hash Reprise - Day 118

Today ran the gamut from tingly to totally tired with lots of good stuff in between. The tingly part came from the most wonderful shampoo ever that I received from my good friend Rita as a belated birthday gift...Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo. If you haven't tried it, you really should. The scent is amazing and the tingly feeling in your scalp is beyond wonderful.

Work was productive. I crossed a lot of things off my to do list. Then it was on to work on decorating the house for the party this weekend. Jim helped me get the tree up. I reciprocated by making another batch of turkey hash. This batch was even better than the Sunday version and once again Jim had two plates full. Turkey hash doesn't sound very appealing, but it is the ultimate comfort food. You really should try this too. It works well with leftover roast beef, pork or chicken as well. Just saute onions, cubed potatoes, corn or whatever leftover veggie you have in the fridge,spice to taste, add the leftover meat and cover for about 15 minutes. Simple...yummy...comfort.

Many hugs and tingly feelings,

Kathy