A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, guys.

We will be at 7,000 or so feet of elevation, in the Gila National Forest.....or I would not be going.

Highly heat intolerant am I.

I have a big Sunbrella I bought last year, tho, and am thinking about carrying it along and using it as a walking stick.....which I don't have, anyway.

It is a bit clunky looking, but who cares, really. It immediately drops the temperature underneath and provides excellent respite from the sun.....I know this, because I used it last year at step son's soccer tournament.....on an open field, and full sun all day.

The only part of me that got at all sunburned was my sandaled feet.

Seriously.....I think it would make a great and very functional substitute for a walking stick.

And, it is dark blue, so would blend in very nicely with my other accessories.

Maggie

[rmkrum]

Dogs, especially rescues, seem to instinctively come to those willing to help them. Our latest rescue pups crossed the street in front of me, then laid down and let me collect them. They are both lovers and enjoy alternately sitting on laps and attempting to lick our ears off.

They do find us for a reason. I've NEVER 'bought' a dog. All ours are rescues.


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[Air Cruiser]

I had to laugh to myself as I read your last line re: the dark blue working well with your other accessories! I imagine most of the men on here don't understand that -- but there are those of us who do!! Haha! We tend to think along the same lines. :-)

Deb

[Lily&Me]

Cooking preparations have begun.

Working on icebox cookie dough for the freezer, always very handy when you don't know exactly who you are feeding and when....traditional recipe with dark brown sugar and chopped pecans, and a cranberry/pistachio with grated orange rind. Isn't that latter always just the yummiest combination?

I will have a double batch of chocolate chip mixed on Friday to bake Saturday morning.....this gathering requires homemade chocolate chip. It's what I have always done, and everyone looks for them.

I also take Community Cookies to Moraine View every year, too....a big tub of them, set out for everyone to get into at will. . Getting some dough in the freezer will make things easier next week, as I will also have the grands til Wednesday am....and they expect cookies at Grandma's house.

I have another recipe I might try, which has a bit of liqeuer in it, and 1/4 cup of cornmeal. I still have some of Photobum's corn flour to use up, which would give these a nice crunch.


I have not slept a good night in a week, and it's this family thing coming that's doing it....I take a lightweight....but effective....sleeping pill, you know. Usually works great.

Just get thru it, Margaret, I tell myself. There are only a couple of folks that tend to stress me out, everyone else is quite enjoyable.....but I miss the lead-up commiseration and pre-planning with Doug, then having him here to decompress after they have gone home.

We would clean everything up and put the house to rights, then have a drink together on the patio, and breathe a collective sigh........over, again, for another year.

It's life. I can do this.


Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

We are aIso expecting company and I was shaking my head in agreement at your posts about family. What is it about family that gets so complicated.

So along that line I will be a bit redundant, because you know all this, and share some of my favorite

You cannot change or control them, their behaviors, habits or tendencies. You can however control and change your responses to these things/people.

How people treat you is a greater reflection of them and their insecurities than you.

GOD granted you these people as family as you would likely not have chosen them as friends.

Don't sweat the small stuff. What small stuff? Exactly!

Strive for really good and excellent, leave perfection for GOD.

It could ALWAYS be worse.

As you said you are missing Doug in your prep and stressful, trying and special times are going to magnify that.

Big girl panties up, game face on, smile and enjoy, Mighty Maggie you/we can do this.

[Lily&Me]

Thank you!

That little pep talk is exactly what I needed,

And, of course, I know all those things....don't we all. It just can be difficult to focus on handling it positively, sometimes, ya now what I mean? Better in retrospect, although my preference is no meltdowns, of any size, afterwards. That has happened.

And....I know I can do it.....am just whining a bit, needing sympathy....and a pep talk!

Yep.....you can choose your friends....

Back to cleaning a few things that, of course, don't look dirty but haven't yet been touched....so therefore must be cleaned.


Mwggie

[paiceman]

Altitude robs humans of moisture, additional water is necessary. Lilly will be the same. We noticed last year when out west at altitude Abby wanted and drank more water than usual for her. She also seemed to be impacted physically as many humans are, little tougher to breath with thinner air.

Enjoy

Bud

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, Bud.

I am going to carry about 15 extra gallons of water, which should be enough to get us thru. That's in addition to the 30 gallon fresh water tank.

Lily drinks about a half gallon of water a day, right now.

I don't think I can take too much water, really.

I would like a shower occasionally.


Maggie

[Photobum]

Gainfully employed for the first time in two years!!!!

Campground host in Green Creek Campground in California, near Bridgeport and Bodie.

Come visit!

[Lily&Me]

Congratulations!

Ummm.....that's a bit of a drive, Vincent.

Don't think I'll be getting there this year.

Looks like a beautiful area, tho.

Enjoy.


Maggie

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

This recipe was in a Mother Earth News Newsletter a year or so, and is really tasty and full of flavor.....if you like Kalamata olives, which I do.

Have made it for friends, who also loved it, made it again today and thought I would share it with all of you.

It is a little labor-intensive, but not too much so...and worth it.

I like to cook orzo pasta to serve with this, as their little shapes do well with the capers and chopped olives. Reheats very well, too.


Chicken Paillards with Kalamata Olives

Ingredients:

4 (4- to 6-ounce / 115- to 170-gram) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, sliced lengthwise as thinly as possible
1/4 cup (60 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 cup (180 grams) pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons drained capers
1/4 cup (15 grams) roughly chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Place 1 chicken breast between two large pieces of parchment paper on a sturdy work surface. Pound with a meat mallet until the breast is about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick. If you don’t have a mallet, you can use a heavy pan or rolling pin. Set aside and repeat with the remaining breasts.

2. Season each breast with 1/4 teaspoon salt per side and a generous amount of pepper.

3. In your widest sauté or frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of the oil, the chili flakes, and bay leaf until very hot, about 1 minute.

4. Place 2 of the breasts in the pan and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is also golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the breasts to a plate. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Repeat with the remaining 2 breasts and set aside. Remove the pan from the heat.

5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) oil and the garlic to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the garlic begins to soften, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute.

6. Add the lemon juice and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the olives and capers and cook until well combined, about 1 minute.

7. Return the chicken and any juices from the plate to the pan. Stir to coat, cover, and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 3 minutes.

8. Uncover, remove from the heat, and add the parsley. To serve, place each breast on a plate, or all of them on a platter, and spoon some of the olive mixture on top of each one.Serves 4.


Maggie

Maggie,

We have been slammed for several weeks and I just got around to catching up on my forum reading this afternoon. Thanks for posting! Made it tonight for dinner and it was GREAT!

Al

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

Maggie,

We have been slammed for several weeks and I just got around to catching up on my forum reading this afternoon. Thanks for posting! Made it tonight for dinner and it was GREAT!

Al

Hi you two!

So much unusual flavor in that dish.

Glad you enjoyed it

Travel safe,


Maggie

[skitique]

Hi Maggie,
I'm the lady from Charleston that lives close to Edisto Beach. Thought I'd say hi this morning because I read this thread each day before work & it makes me smile.��. Rain & thunder storms today but hopefully the weekend will be nice because the 2 Goldens, hubby, & are camping at the lake rain or shine.

Jane

[Lily&Me]

Thank you, and thanks for dropping in, Jane.

Hello to you, too.

Edisto Beach . One of the few places I long for.

I will be there the first two weeks of March 2016, so drop by and say Hi if you have a mind to.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I sliced off and baked a couple of these yesterday....they are shortbread-ish, and yummy!

Also.......with dried cranberries and pistachios, a bit of nutritive value to counter all the butter.

I tripled this recipe, made three large logs wrapped in parchment paper, then cut those in half for the freezer.

Just because......I also added 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier to the batter.

These cookies don't spread, so if you need a panful you can place them close together. I baked my few on a small, cast iron griddle.


Pistachio-Cranberry Icebox Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. (I left this out)
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest

1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup decorative sugar (preferably coarse)

Blend butter, sugar and orange zest, add slowly the blended dry ingredients til thoroughly mixed, then mix in the pistachios and dried cranberries.

Shape into 2-3 logs, roll in sugar in the parchment paper, wrap and refrigerate, or freeze.

Preheat oven to 350", slice cookies at about 1/4", bake 15-18 minutes, cool on wire rack. Keep about 5 days at room temperature.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

When I have good oranges in the winter, before I eat them I wash them and grate the zest off onto a piece of wax paper.

I keep a small jar in the freezer for this, just dump the zest in and then you can easily spoon out later what you need for a recipe.

Such a shame to throw away un-zested peel.


Maggie

[Air Cruiser]

Thanks so much for the recipes (I collect recipes), Maggie, we'll give them a try. Also, thanks so much for the tip about the grated orange zest -- I've never thought of doing that, but you're right, that's an excellent way of always having some on hand! I'll do it also with lemon.

I remembered something which you may already be aware of, but if not, here it is: LLBean has sun-proof clothing, thought they might come in handy for your trip out West. My DH has to watch sun exposure, so we both do the same.

Deb

[Air Cruiser]

I want to edit what I said.......LLBean has sunblock clothing, not sun proof.

Deb

[Lily&Me]

Thanks for those tips.

I have a khaki Cabela's shirt of Doug's that is sun-protective, that I am going to take for a jacket out there.

And seriously thinking about that Sunbrella.



Mwggie

[Air Cruiser]

I think your Sunbrella is a great idea; Frank & I try to be careful about the heat/sun exposure too. If you need it, you'll be so glad you have it!

Deb