Where's my Rose?

 

 I've got a thorn in my side.

OK, it's a splinter. And it's in my foot. But that splinter in my foot has become a thorn on my side.

Let me just (try to) explain, since it's the end of November and freezing cold out, how I got a splinter in my toe. It's not exactly barefoot weather. But two things make that untrue for me. First, I use the grill for certain foods, no matter the weather, and second, the best lighting for recipe photography is out on my back deck. Sometimes I'll put shoes on, like a normal person, other times, like if it's just to flip over the Grilled Orange Balsamic Salmon, I'll get lazy and just run out there barefoot.

Which is what I did this time. And got punished with a splinter in my big toe.

Not usually a big deal, I can often just work the top layers of skin with a pin and gently ease it out. This one was more difficult. Not only did it go in straight up and down (so deeper) as opposed to at a more workable angle, but that made it harder to see.

So I worked at it. With a pin the first day, with tweezers the second, then with both together. After a shower so the skin was softer, and I even tried a nail clipper. 

Thorn on my side.

The "thorn in my side" saying has biblical roots, both in the Old Testament and New Testament. There are also nuances as to the interpretation. The thorn can be seen as a reminder from G-d to remain humble. But it has also been interpreted as a message, sent from Satan.

I'm going with the Satan thing. 

Now I'm not a proponent of bee stings, far from it. Last summer, College Boy stepped out the front door and onto a bee that was apparently on the door mat and got stung on the toe. It hurt. A lot. And then it stopped hurting. 

But a splinter that has mastered the art of subterfuge, secreting itself, and avoiding eviction? That's a problem. 

It's a problem for two reasons. One, because I can feel it when I walk, but especially because it becomes most uncomfortable when I'm standing for long periods of time. Like when cooking or baking.

Honey Mustard Chicken Casserole

 

Second, a piece of wood in your flesh can be a vehicle through which bacteria can make a trek into your blood stream. OK, maybe that's extreme, but it's possible. And clearly this little sliver has worked its way into my headspace.

So yes, (sing it with me) Poison warned us, way back in the 80s, to beware, That "every rose has its thorn." But what has become painfully clear to me, is that not every thorn, at the very least, comes with a rose.

Like the one in my side.

And my toe.

Honey Mustard Chicken Casserole         

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 slices deli black forest ham

2 cups fresh spinach

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 TBSP sweet hot honey mustard

1 TBSP pepper jelly

2 TBSP honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 X 11 baking dish.

*Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Spread into the baking dish. Chop the ham. Sprinkle over the chicken, followed by the spinach.

*Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, pepper jelly, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over the spinach, then top with the cheese.

*Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Hurrah: Monthly Poetry Group

 

 Last Friday of the month is for

Monthly Poetry Group to rhyme.

Diane, Mimi, and I take turns,

If You're Happy and you Know It, the theme this time.

 

As usual, today I'll try,

a poem to write . . . or fudge.

Whether I'm successful or not,

you get to be the judge.  

 

Hurrah

Holidays are a hectic time,

there's so much going on.

Parties, gifts, cookie exchange,

and Secret Santas are drawn.

Planning and then preparing for

meals, and snacks, and sweets.

Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, birthdays too. 

Come to my house, everyone eats. 

Working in the kitchen, I

await kids from near and far.

Excited, anticipating, as

I listen for their car.

Making their favorite recipes,

and trying a few that are new.

I double up on everything so, 

they'll have some to take home too.

 

Peach Pecan Pie

No matter how much work it takes,

it bothers me not a bit.

'Cause having us all together here,

makes me happy. And I know it.

 

Before you go, stop by these blogs for more poetry:

 

On the Border

Messymimi's Meanderings

 

Peach Pecan Pie

                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pie crust

1 peach

4 TBSP butter

1/4 cup peach jam

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup pecan halves

OPT: whipped cream for serving

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 inch pie plate.

*Remove rhe pit from and peel the peach. Slice about 1/3 of the peach and set aside. Chop the rest of the peach and set aside separately.

*Melt the butter. Whisk together the butter and the peach jam. Once mixed, whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Finally, whisk in the eggs. Mix in the chopped pecans and the chopped peach. Pour evenly into the pie crust.

*Arrange the peach slices and the pecan halves on the top of the pie.

*Bake for 40 minutes, tent with tin foil, and bake another 40 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate to set.

*OPT: serve with dollops of whipped cream. Keep leftovers refrigerated.

On Our Watch

  

 I wrote a blog post back in March of 2021 when, in the state where I live, Covid shots were limited to those over 65, a requirement I didn't meet. The post was (mostly) baout my quest to het vaccinated. I called it Just Shoot Me. Please.

I should have known better.

The morning the post was to go live, at 6:00 am, I was up changing the title and the graphic. My title had gone from valid to insensitive. Why? The day before, there was a mass shooting (in a covid vaccine line) in a grocery store in Boulder. Where, btw, my son lives.

On October 26th, the 299th day of this year, there was a mass shooting in Maine. The 565th of 2023. That's almost two a day. Over 35,000 people have died of gun violence, that figure includes those who don't fall into the category of being involved in mass shootings, defined as an incident where 4 or more people are killed at once. That's over 100 people a day.

On that day a month ago, I turned the television off. 

There is concern, with these murders now becoming such a daily occurrence, that we as a society could become desensitized, diminishing our response due to the constant exposure. 

Not me. Although it clearly seems to be something that afflicts our politicians.

For me, it's an unbearable emotional assault. So I shut it off. And then I turned it right back on.

Because as painful as it may be, turning away felt wrong to me, as if I was ignoring the cataclysmic fallout experienced by those personally affected by the violent deaths of their families. I can shut my eyes to it when it feels like too much. But they can't.

I don't know how to explain it, but I feel that as long as I live here, as long as this goes on, I almost have an obligation to watch.

Maybe because this is happening on our watch.

So I have decided that from now on, I will bear witness. I will watch. I will honor those who have been slaughtered by being present. I will show my respect to those who have lost loved ones by not walking away from their pain, witnessing their anguish, hearing their stories.

As you sit down this holiday season, enjoy those fancy dinners and decadent desserts with those you love, I ask you to consider doing three things.

Bananas Foster Turnovers

 

Look around the room and, take stock of what, and who, you have to be thankful for. That's pretty much a given this time of year.

But I also ask that you consider this:

Watch. Keep your eyes open. Don't turn away. Read the names of those who are being slaughtered in our country. In our movie theaters and bowling alleys and grocery stores and bars and even our places of worship and our schools. See the pictures of these members of our society who just moments before had lived and loved and prayed and played. Note their ages. Acknowledge that their friends and families will be living a new normal consisting of a perpetual state of senseless grief. Feel their pain.

And third, commit to being proactive. Identify the politicians in your district who have dedicated themselves to being a road block to sensible gun legislation. Register to vote, help humanity by showing them the door. 

Bananas Foster Turnovers         

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana

2 TBSP butter, divided

2 TBSP brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 TBSP spiced rum

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 TBSP speculoos (cookie butter)

1 (half of a box) refrigerator pie crust dough

1 tsp sugar

OPT: ice cream and/or caramel sauce to serve

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

*Peel the banana. Cut into about 1/2 in slices, then cut each slice in half.

*In a small skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 TBSP of the butter. Add the banana, brown sugar, cinnamon, and rum.

*Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, it will boil. Add the walnuts, cook and stir another 2 minutes.

*Remove the pan from the heat. Mix in the speculoos and stir until melted. Set aside.

*Unroll the pie crust and fold in the rounded sides about an inch to form a rectangle. Roll out until it's about 10 X 10. Cut into 4 squares, each piece about 5 X 5. Place them on the baking sheet.

*Spoon the banana mixture into the center of the bottom half of each of the squares, leaving room on all sides. Fold the top half down, creating a triangle. Press the sides together with a fork to seal. 

*Cut a couple of small slits into the tops. Melt the remaining butter, brush over the turnovers. Sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until browned and bubbly.

*Top with vanilla ice cream and/or caramel sauce, if desired.

Horny Honey and Runaway Rum: Fly on the Wall

 

Welcome to a monthly Fly on the Wall group post. Today 3 bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes. Come on in and buzz around my house. At the end of my post you’ll find links to this month’s other participants’ posts.

Do you know the difference between gulp and guzzle? I recently had it explained to me.

We'd had wine with dinner, and at the end of the meal, Hub's second glass was still full. I went to do the dishes.

Me: Anything else for the dishwasher before I run it?

Hubs (handing me his empty wine glass): Just this.

Me: Did you just guzzle that wine?
Hubs: No.

Me: But that glass was full less than a minute ago.

Hubs: I did not guzzle it, you don't guzzle wine.

Me: So, did you dump it in my planter?

Hubs: No, I gulped it. 
Me: Umm, so you did guzzle it.

Hubs: No, guzzle is to drink it all down at once, I drank it in 3 gulps.

Well, at least he didn't dump it into my planter.

 

 

Every now and then I make my Apple Cinnamon Ring, it's easy to make and everyone loves it.

When I made it last week, I had to change it up a bit, due to what I had on hand.

Hubs (after taking a bite): I think maybe something was wrong with the apple you used. Try this, it doesn't taste right.

Me: That's probably because that apple is a pear.

Hubs was giong out to get his hair cut and asked if I needed anything while he was out. I told him I had a list of things, but I didn't need any of them right away. He asked what I needed, just so he'd know. I gave him my list, six items on it, and again told him nothing was needed this minute. Hubs sat down at the desk and wrote out my list.

Later he came home with everything I'd asked for.

Me: You didn't have to make all those stops, I told you I didn't need all of this right away.

Hubs: I wanted to get it all before I forgot.

Me: How could you forget? You wrote out a list.

Hubs: The list, that's what I'd end up forgetting.

Hubs: What's for dinner?

Me: I knew what I was going to make, but now I'm not sure.

Hubs: What changed your mind?
Me: I thought I might try a different ingredient.

Hubs: Oh yeah, what?
Me: Shampoo. 

Hubs: Did you say shampoo?
Me: Yes, I was in the shower this morning and noticed the shampoo bottle says that it's vegan.

Hubs (walking away rolling his eyes and commenting under his breath): I suppose next we'll be washing our hair with soy sauce.

College Boy (walking into the kitchen): Hey, mom, what are you making for dinner?

Me: I'm trying a new casserole.

College Boy: It doesn't have shampoo in it, does it? Dad was muttering something about dinner and shampoo.

Me: No. It has rice, chicken . . .

College Boy: Sounds good.

Me: And snow peas and carrots.

College Boy: Yum.

Me: In a teriyaki sauce.

College Boy: Oh, I'm really not a fan of teriyaki sauce.

Me: How about I add a little shampoo?

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

Hubs is watching college football as I walk into the den. I stop in my tracks when I hear the what the sportscasters are saying:

Sportscaster: That quarterback is high, he's been high this whole game.

Me: Did they just say he's high? How would they know? Has he had the munchies on the sidelines or something?
Hubs: That's what they said, but not what they meant . . .

Just then I hear the sportscasters say something about removing the quarterback, and execute.

Me: Execute. You can't execute someone because they're high. Not in this country, anyway.

Hubs: They're saying that he's been throwing the ball too high, consistently missing the receivers. And that he should be removed if he can't execute his plays. And you need to go find something to do and stop ruining the game.

Me (walking away, mumbling under my breath): Fine, see if you don't end up with shampoo in your dinner . . .

I had typed up a new recipe I was trying out, proofread it, and headed to the kitchen. Once I had tried it out, I made the adjustments to the recipe that I had made while making it, then proofread it one last time. 

I was about to publish it, when my eye caught what I hadn't seen both the first time I proofread, and the second time.

The recipe was supposed to include 1/4 cup of honey, and definitely not 1/4 cup of horny.

Hubs comes into the den and I'm laying on the floor with my head in the bar and bottles all around me.

Me: Damn it.

Hubs: Something wrong in the bar?

Me: I lost the spiced rum.

Hubs: What do you mean you lost the spiced rum?

Me (starting to sound frantic): I lost the spiced rum, I lost the spiced rum. I cannot find the spiced rum.

Hubs: Maybe we don't have any.

Me (rolling my eyes): Of course we do. And I need the bottle for a recipe picture for my blo9g. 

Hubs: When did you last have some?

Me: Just an hour ago.

Hubs: It's 8:30 in the morning.

Me: And . . .?

Hubs (walking away): Unless it's hiding from you, I'm sure you'll find it.

About 20 minutes later:

Me (yelling to Hubs down in his man cave): Found it!
Hubs: The spiced rum?

Me: Yes, I have it.

Hubs: Where was it?

Me: In the kitchen, right next to the horny honey.

A blogger posted a picture of her new recipe, a cake. Along with, of course, a description.

Now let me just say that I'm not making fun of her, English is clearly not her first language, and I commend her for her efforts to communicate in English, which she often does, effectively.

But I really had to laugh at her explanation at using new (to her) ingredients. She said:

"I am glad I tried it. Never give up not trying and always create the cake with additional ingredients as long as it never kills you."

I'm thinking something got lost in the translation here. 

Apparently, I don't speak southern as well as I had thought. Well, not really speak it so much as understand it.

 

I was watching a true crime show, taking place in Alabama. The prosecutor, in his thick southern accent, was laying out his case. He explained that just 10 days before the murder, the victim's wife insisted that he get a new wheel.

 

A new wheel? Did she want to be sure the car was in good shape once he was gone? If it needed a new wheel, how is this evidence against her?

 

While I was trying to figure out what that meant, he showed his proof. A new will. Dated 10 days before the victim's death.

 

Ah, will. Well, that makes a hell of a lot more sense.

 

 

 

Now click on the links below for a peek into some other homes:

Menopausal Mother

What TF Sarah

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

3 TBSP pineapple juice

1/4 cup soy sauce plus 1/3 cup, divided

3 TBSP brown sugar, divided

1 tsp minced garlic, divided

3/4 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp ginger paste

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 green onions, chopped

1 1/2 cups instant whole grain brown rice

1 large carrot

6 oz snow peas and/or snap peas

Directions:

*NOTE: the chicken can be marinated, cooked, and chopped up to 2 days in advance.

*Trim the chicken breast halves and place in a gallon size plastic bag. Whisk together the pineapple juice, 1/4 cup of the soy sauce, 1 TBSP brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp minced garlic. Pour into the bag with the chicken, refrigerate, turning now and then for 2 hours.

*Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the marinade, and cook the chicken completely any way you choose (skillet, air fryer, grill, baked, or broiled). Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces. If using now, set aside. If precooking, refrigerate and bring to room temperature when you're ready to proceed.

*Grease a 9 X 13 casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Sprinkle the brown rice into the bottom of the prepared dish. Shred the carrot with a potato peeler and sprinkle over the rice. Top with the pea pods and the chicken.

*Whisk together the vegetable broth, water, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 TBSP brown sugar, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, the ginger, sesame oil, and green onion. Pour over the casserole.

*Cover with tin foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Stir and serve.

Nineteen Little Monkeys: Word Counters

 

Counting my words again.

Today my fellow Word Counters and I are sharing our monthly group post. Each month, one group member picks a number between 12 and 50. All participating bloggers are then challenged to write something (or a few somethings, as the case may be) using that exact number of words. Today we share what we all came up with.

 This month's number is 19. 
It was chosen by Mimi of Messymimi's Meanderings.

As I've been doing in these Word Counters posts, I've chosen a theme and am using my word count multiple times in keeping with the theme. This month I've chosen to take my cue from the number Mimi chose, 19, and its current significance in this country. 

Nineteen Little Monkeys (The Devils Go Down to Georgia)

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

knew they lost, so tried to cheat,

but Georgia saw red.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

conspired together to act on the,

lies that they had spread.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

instead of treason, red. white and blue 

you should have bled.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

forced to show up in Georgia, take

a picture they'd dread.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

few afraid of court so took,

a deal. Guilty, they plead.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head.

Karma is a bitch, they say,

let's talk about what's ahead.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

no more desserts for you,

soon it'll be gruel and bread.

Caramel Apple Peanut Butter Bars

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

forget those billable hours, you'll

make license plates for pennies instead.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

especially in the showers best,

be careful how you tread.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

guess you'll soon be sleeping on,

a hard steel bunk bed.

~ Nineteen little monkeys,

not right in the head,

hope you like your new roommate,

soon you will be wed.

Here are links to the other Word Counters posts:

On the Border 

Messymimi’s Meanderings 

Caramel Apple Peanut Butter Bars         
                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 stick margarine, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

6 (about 3.5 oz total) Snickers fun sized candy

1/2 Honeycrisp apple

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup apple or caramel apple flavored breakfast cereal

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 X 13 baking dish.

*Cream the margarine and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and peanut butter. Mix in the flour and salt to form a dough. Press into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, but leave the oven on.

*While the crust is in the oven, cut each candy into 5 slices. Peel, core, and chop the apple into small pieces.

*Sprinkle the chopped candy over the crust, followed by the chopped apple, then the cereal. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the entire top.

*Bake for about 35 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Cool on the counter for 1/2 hour, then refrigerate to cool completely before cutting.