Feast for the Senses: Secret Subject Swap

 

Welcome to a Secret Subject Swap. This month 3 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject participants.

My subject is: Spring is in the air. What is your favorite spring time activity?

It was submitted by: Rena of The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

 

 

 

Actually, that's a difficult question. Much more difficult than it would have been when I was living on the East Coast. Much more difficult even, than it would have been living away from the East Coast in the years before 2020. Much more difficult than it should be.

 

Growing up on the East Coast meant varying between two really fun activities, walking the beach, and spring skiing. Walking the beach required dressing a little warmer, but it was so worth it, feeling the sun on your skin for the first time in months, and smelling that salt air. Spring skiing, on the other hand, required less clothes than winter skiing, easier movement, and warmer trips up the lifts. Ahhh, spring.

 

Living here in the beachless {{sob}}, mountainless {{sigh}} Midwest, especially since 2020, has necessitated that my main spring activity be playing a robust game of "avoid the Covid spreaders." As activities go, not something that's going to make it onto my favorites list. Necessary? Yes. Fun? Not so much.

The downside of spring, rubbing my eyes and stocking up on tissues and allergy medicine isn't exactly a fun activity either.

But I do love spring, it's my favorite season. I get to move away from the heartier "warm you from the inside" meals I cook over the winter months to lighter meals. Like breakfast for dinner.

Key Lime Pancakes

(with my Blueberry Maple Syrup)

And although I know this is a lame answer to your question, since I'm really not sure what activities I'll be able to enjoy in the coming days, I can tell you what I love about spring. It's the waking up, the emergence from the long winter hibernation, the exercising of all of my senses.

Spring is a feast, and it's not just about taste. Spring is a for all of the senses. 

Sight: There is beauty in snowfall, a feel of peace as the first flakes cling, pristinely white, to the branches of the bare trees. But even then, it's brown and white.

In the spring, dark afternoons are banned and daylight replaces the dreariness of winter. Daylight in which to enjoy the colors with which Mother Nature paints the outdoors. Grass, leaves, flowers, beautiful color emerging everywhere. 

And the wildlife comes back.   

Sound: The chirping of the birds, even the sound of lawnmowers, car windows down and radios turned up, spring has its own unique sounds.

Smell: Flowers, especially the lilacs, and food cooking on grills throughout the neighborhood. Even the smell of freshly cut grass brings a smile.

Touch: It's not spring until I've got my hands deep in the dirt of my outdoor pots, and standing on the back deck, feeling the sun on my face.

Taste: Key Lime Pancakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup, anyone?

 

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

Climaxed

The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver 

 

Key Lime Pancakes         
                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 stick butter

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup key lime juice

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp lime zest

OPT: 1 - 2 tsp green food coloring

4 - 5 TBSP butter

Directions:

*Melt the 1/2 stick butter, set aside.

*Place the milk and key lime juice in a small bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes. 

*In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and lime zest.

*After 10 minutes, whisk the melted butter, egg, and food coloring (if using) into the milk and key lime juice mixture, then mix into the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.

*Over medium heat in a small skillet, melt 1/2 TBSP of the remaining butter until hot. Add about 1/3 cup pancake mix and swirl around to form approximately a 5 inch pancake.

*Once the center starts to bubble and the edges are browning, flip the pancake over, reduce the heat slightly, and cook the other side until browned.

*Remove, keep warm, and repeat with the remaining butter and pancake batter.

Liver Cake and Lies

Lies don’t matter. They did when I was growing up. Or maybe that’s just a lie my mother told me?

But one thing's for sure, they certainly don’t matter now. In fact, they’d become so prevalent, especially in our politics, that just as many believe them as those of us who seek out the truth, use logic, see them for the blatant manipulation that they are.

There seems to be some kind of contest going on, who can get away with the most absurd lie. And although there are a lot of front runners (it’s been neck and neck for years now) with trump barely leading the way, seems he’s being pushed aside. George Santos is currently in the lead. Which is impressive considering that the rest of the party cult seems to live by the watchword “no lie is too small, no lie is too large.” 

My only hope is that prize for winning is a room with bars on the door.

But listen, I’ve tried to be an honest person, and mostly succeeded, I think. But if our current culture is a no-hold-barred, throw out that filter and let ‘em rip lie fest, I may just try out a few. You know, in the name of science (well, if you’re one of the few people who still believe in science).

So, in keeping with what is apparently the new Golden Rule "lie unto others as you have seen others lie unto you," here goes:

 

To the family:

~ I just got home but sure, I'll do the laundry, you’ll have plenty of clean underwear in the morning.

Followed the next day by:

~ No, those shorts aren’t see-through, I can’t at all tell you had to go commando today.

 

~ That isn't Cheetos dust around my mouth, it's a new makeup I'm trying. Yes, on my fingers too.

~ I'm not still upset about our argument, and no, I haven't seen the remote to the TV down in your man cave.

~ I was just about to take pictures for the blog, but sure, go ahead and try the cake, I made it for an April Fools blog post, there's a little bit of chopped liver and barely a hint of onion, let me know what you think.

 

Pineapple Cake with Dark Cherries

 

 

To no one and every one:

 

~ I have no problem with people giving away the ending of a book in their book reviews. 

~ Go ahead and pretend you didn't see your dog using my lawn as a toilet. You're actually doing me a favor. After all, it's free fertilizer.

~ Politicians should not be held accountable when their lies threaten the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of Americans. After all, it's in the job description.

 

~ What was in the minds of our forefathers, when writing the constitution, was that the right to bear arms not be intended as a means to defend our country, but to ensure the freedom of future citizens to carry assault weapons into schools, grocery stores, and movie theaters. 

~ Lies in particular, and dishonesty in general, help build a cohesive, healthy, productive society. 

I may have choked on that last one. 

 

OK, I may not quite be up to the task of being the new front runner.

That's alright, I didn't want to spend the next few years in a room with an exposed toilet, anyway.

And as much as lying may have provided momentary amusement, none of my lies had any real, life altering impact. No one's grandma died while I was vehemently, publicly denying the existence of a deadly virus.

But they were still lies, still meant, not so much to manipulate, but to deceive. And in the end, they are harmful, even if only to my own self-esteem.

Truth.

Pineapple Cake with Dark Cherries         

                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
7 frozen pitted dark cherries

1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 can (16 oz) cream cheese frosting

2 TBSP yellow sanding sugar, 

1 TBSP powdered sugar, 

1/2 tsp pineapple extract

2 TBSP pineapple juice

Directions:

*Chop the cherries and thaw on paper towels.

*Drain the pineapple well, chop (don't shred), and place on paper towels.

*Grease and flour a 9 X 13 baking pan.

*Beat the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice for 2 minutes. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

*Pat the chopped pineapple and cherries as dry as possile and sprinkle over the batter.

*Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the center springs back to the touch. Cool completely. Cut into 24 squares.

*Mix the cream cheese frosting with the sanding sugar, powdered sugar, pineapple extract, and remaining 2 TBSP pineapple juice. Place into a piping bag and pipe onto the squares. 

Where to Wear: Self-care vs Going There

 

I love a challenge. Not all of them are word games, or number games, or feats of strength or fortitude.

Some are just . . . well . . .

I mentioned Hubs is partially retired, he goes into the office 2 or 3 times a week, the other days he works from home, attends online seminars, and watches sports in his man cave.

One morning when he was mostly not working from home, he came upstairs pretty late in the morning, and I was in the kitchen prepping dinner.

Hubs: You're still in your pajamas.

Me: Yup.

Hubs: Are you sick?

Me: No.

Hubs: Aren't you getting dressed?
Me: Why should I?

Hubs: Why wouldn't you? I assume you have a good reason.

Me: One? That's easy, I . . .

Hubs (interrupting): OK, then give me ten good reasons.

Did that sound like a challenge to you? Sounded like a challenge to me . . .

Ten good reasons to wear your pajamas around the house all day:

1) Comfort. And we all know comfort is self-care.

2) It's a good excuse for not answering the door.

3) If you do answer the door, you're a living deterrent to any salesmen considering a return engagement.

4) Easy bathroom access.

5) Those kids? Keep 'em guessing.

6) Less laundry.

7) Need inspiration for an afternoon nap? You're wearing it.

8) No having to loosen your belt after that (third) snack. 

9) Splatter can't ruin (any more of) your clothes. Not today, green pudding mix, not today. 

 

Pear & Pistachio Bread Bites

 

10) Did I mention comfort? Indulgent, blissful, comfort.

Convinced?

Oh, and just for the record, because I can go above and beyond when it comes to a challenge, ten good reasons not to wear your pajamas out of the house:

1) Look in the mirror.

2) Do you really want to look homeless when you run into your kid's teacher or your husband's boss? You know you will.

3) Look in the mirror.

4) You look like you just left your job, where you and 19 of your coworkers just climbed out of a tiny car for the amusement of the audience.

5) Look in the mirror.

6) Saggy pants + full pockets = indecent exposure arrest. 

7) Look in the mirror.

8) Remember the walk of shame back in your wild youth? Well this is the walk of shame 2.o. Less fun, more shame.

9) Look in the mirror. Put on your glasses and look again.

10) Wearing your pajamas in public is a gateway drug. Let your guard down on this one and the next thing you know, you'll be sitting in your psychiatrist's office in a bikini.

A quick synopsis for those of us who prefer cliff notes: 

Self-care, good. Indecent exposure, bad.

You're welcome.

Pear & Pistachio Bread Bites        

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 package Rhodes Texas rolls frozen dough 

2 ripe pears

1 stick butter

1/2 package (about 3 TBSP) pistachio instant pudding mix

        NOTE: seal the rest of the pudding mix in a bag for next time

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup pistachios, shelled, chopped

 

1 TBSP powdered sugar

Directions:
*Place 12 frozen rolls in the refrigerator to thaw (I do it overnight).

*Once the dough has thawed, skin, and core, and chop the pears. Cut each roll into quarters.

*Grease a pan (can use a loaf pan, or bundt pan). Start your oven preheating to warm. Once it reaches 125 degrees, shut it off.

*Melt the butter in a large bowl. Mix in the pudding mix, brown sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. 

*Mix in the bread quarters, chopped pears, and chopped pistachios until all of the bread is well coated. Arrange evenly in the prepared pan.

*Cover with plastic wrap, put into the warm oven and leave it there for 4 hours. Leaving the pan in the oven, discard the plastic wrap and turn the oven on to 350 degrees. 

*Bake for 35 minutes, it will be brown and bubbly. Allow to sit in the pan for 10 minutes before scooping into a serving bowl.

*Sprinkle with the powdered sugar.