Thursday, September 3, 2015
Friday, March 6, 2015
289 - Just some pics
Mr. Bo-Bo taking advantage of a rare foray into the front yard
Cardinal Richelieu
Snow on the deck
Footprints in the snow
Pretty, fluffy bird
Bluebird babies
Lady Richelieu
Hello!
Daisy Bear paw print
House finches
Finches, cardinals and blackbirds
Daisy is fascinated by the activity at the bird feeder
Redwinged blackbird
Junco
Gorgeous bluebird
Mr. Bo-Bo getting rowdy in the snow
I'm gonna get you Daisy Bear!
I'm not scared of you.
Frozen mailbox
Pics from earlier in the year... our woodpecker
Mr. Bo-Bo's GQ shot
Mr. Bo-Bo's coy look... so spoiled, that used to be my blanket...
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
It's been a while
Been spending most of my energy on the Mr. Bo-Bo books and mrbobobook.com. Finished Bo-Bo the Destroyer and got a proof in the mail today. Needed to make a couple of minor changes but overall I'm very happy with it and it's poised to debut on November 11th. In conjunction with that, the Mr. Bo-Bo and the Waggy-Tails eBook will be available for free download on Amazon.com from November 11 - 15 and I've posted that on several sites that promote that kind of thing, hoping to gain some visibility from it.
And then I made a website/book trailer that I posted on a few sites as well. You can click here to watch it.
Aside from that, it's been all about the birds. Two little bluebirds hit the window the other day. One of them didn't make it but the other one did. I know it's not my fault but it still makes me sad. I wasn't 100% sure it was dead so I put it in the bird garden, deep in the foliage so the cats wouldn't see it, and he didn't move. The other one took a while to get over the shock, but once it started moving around I put it on the magnolia tree where it stayed for a while before moving on.
The barn. Had a chat with the neighbor about property boundaries and that needs to be sorted out... supposedly he has a surveyor coming out to take care of that. But him clearing the brush did allow me to get this shot of the barn.
Woodpeckers
The one clear shot I managed to get
Fly away...!
And then I made a website/book trailer that I posted on a few sites as well. You can click here to watch it.
Aside from that, it's been all about the birds. Two little bluebirds hit the window the other day. One of them didn't make it but the other one did. I know it's not my fault but it still makes me sad. I wasn't 100% sure it was dead so I put it in the bird garden, deep in the foliage so the cats wouldn't see it, and he didn't move. The other one took a while to get over the shock, but once it started moving around I put it on the magnolia tree where it stayed for a while before moving on.
At first she held onto the limb with one leg while the other dangled off the side so when I went out and saw her puffed up against the cold and gripping the branch with both feet I knew she'd be okay.
The barn. Had a chat with the neighbor about property boundaries and that needs to be sorted out... supposedly he has a surveyor coming out to take care of that. But him clearing the brush did allow me to get this shot of the barn.
Fall!
Daisy barking at the moo cows.
A vulture roosting in our tree. That's a first.
Woodpeckers
The laughing woodpecker helping himself to some magnolia seeds.
The one clear shot I managed to get
Fly away...!
Monday, July 28, 2014
287 - Cream Cheese Frosting Fluff
I wish I could take credit for the creation of this recipe, but I can only take credit for the modification of it.
It is based on a delicious low-carb, high-protein version of ice cream that (I hope) is THM-friendly, because I've been eating it every single night for dessert. And I share it, grudgingly, with my husband... but I really, really want to eat the whole the thing myself.
The original recipe has a lemon and a chocolate-almond version. The chocolate always seems to come out sour, even after I left the almond extract so I can only assume that the bitterness of the chocolate needs something to balance it and I haven't quite figured out what that is. But the lemon version, slightly modified, is heavenly.
So the base I use is pretty much the same:
1 cup of cottage cheese
1/4 cup egg whites
1 Tbsp Vegetable Glycerin
Splash of vanilla extract
3 Tbsp Xylitol + 2 doonks of Stevia (about 1/8 tsp)
Then you add the additional flavorings and blend it up. I have used my Blendtec and a Magic Bullet and both work great. If your blender can handle the cottage cheese-based THM shakes, then it will handle this ice cream batter just fine. After that, transfer the batter to your ice cream maker, or I suppose you could stick it in the freezer but I haven't tried that. My ice cream maker takes between 30-60 minutes to churn it up.
For the Lemon Ice Cream variation, which tastes like Lemon Sherbet, you would add:
2 Tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting Fluff version I made the base and added:
1 Tbsp of Butter-Vanilla emulsion
A capful of McCormick's Rum extract (probably 1/4 tsp)
Blend it all up and taste it. It would probably make an amazing shake at this point, but to turn it into ice cream, I proceeded to the next step and started freezing it. But unlike the lemon version, it didn't freeze. Perhaps because of the emulsion I used instead of an extract? Either way, it's still tasty and I would say it either become a mousse, or a whipped frosting similar to Cool Whip but healthier and better tasting. I assume if I had the patience to put it in the freezer for a few hours it might become similar in texture to Gelato.
A note on the ingredients in case there are questions:
The original recipe has a lemon and a chocolate-almond version. The chocolate always seems to come out sour, even after I left the almond extract so I can only assume that the bitterness of the chocolate needs something to balance it and I haven't quite figured out what that is. But the lemon version, slightly modified, is heavenly.
So the base I use is pretty much the same:
1 cup of cottage cheese
1/4 cup egg whites
1 Tbsp Vegetable Glycerin
Splash of vanilla extract
3 Tbsp Xylitol + 2 doonks of Stevia (about 1/8 tsp)
Then you add the additional flavorings and blend it up. I have used my Blendtec and a Magic Bullet and both work great. If your blender can handle the cottage cheese-based THM shakes, then it will handle this ice cream batter just fine. After that, transfer the batter to your ice cream maker, or I suppose you could stick it in the freezer but I haven't tried that. My ice cream maker takes between 30-60 minutes to churn it up.
For the Lemon Ice Cream variation, which tastes like Lemon Sherbet, you would add:
2 Tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting Fluff version I made the base and added:
1 Tbsp of Butter-Vanilla emulsion
A capful of McCormick's Rum extract (probably 1/4 tsp)
Blend it all up and taste it. It would probably make an amazing shake at this point, but to turn it into ice cream, I proceeded to the next step and started freezing it. But unlike the lemon version, it didn't freeze. Perhaps because of the emulsion I used instead of an extract? Either way, it's still tasty and I would say it either become a mousse, or a whipped frosting similar to Cool Whip but healthier and better tasting. I assume if I had the patience to put it in the freezer for a few hours it might become similar in texture to Gelato.
A note on the ingredients in case there are questions:
- I have used 1% and 4% cottage cheese and both work fine, I suppose they're the difference between making it an FP ice cream or an S but someone who is more knowledgeable than me should probably clarify that
- I use the egg whites in the carton since this is not cooked
- The vegetable glycerin helps keep the mixture smooth and creamy and adds a bit of extra sweetness. You don't have to use it, I don't know if it's on-plan or not, but it's a low-glycemic sweetener.
- You can use whichever plan-approved sweetener you wish
- Specific products I used are in my Bought It-Loved It list on the sidebar because some people want exact brands and where to find them, some don't care.
- The original author did state that if you keep the (lemon) ice cream in the freezer for more than a couple of hours it becomes a block of ice, but she microwaves it for about 15 seconds and it's fine. Mine has never lasted long enough to test that theory.
I'm going to go enjoy my fluff now, if you try it out let me know how you like it!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
286 - The Canary Made EASY
People who are doing THM will know and understand how delicious, the Singing Canary is. But as much as I love it - and I do love it - it can be tedious and time consuming to make. The effort involved in peeling the lemons can be off-putting - and then what do you do with the lemon peel when you're done? Because I don't know about you, but my husband loves it too, so I make double batches...
The other day my husband and I were talking and we thought, why couldn't we just peel the lemon instead of using a paring knife? So we tried it. Not only does it cut the time and effort in half, it also left me with a beautiful, almost pith-free strip of lemon peel. So... I exert less effort and leave more of the beneficial pith on the lemon to blend into my drink.
So I thought I would share some tips to make life easier and also ideas on what to do with all that lemon peel - because it seems a shame to waste it and it certainly does pile up!
Ladies, meet your new best friend. It is a soft flesh peeler. And here's what it looks like in action:
This is what it looks like when you're done.
This one has serrated edges which makes it work for things like lemons and tomatoes (yes tomatoes) so I don't know how a regular peeler would handle it, but if you try one let me know.
This is the second gadget that has made my life easier, a simple flat-bottomed mesh sink strainer that you stick in a drain. I use this one specifically for food. I have one in my sink that has a rounded bottom, and it pretty much lives there, but JUST IN CASE the two ever end up somewhere else, the one I use for food has a flat bottom. And that works better for my purposes anyway. I got this one at Walmart. Another tip: they make great sifters.
I can't believe how perfectly it fits. I bought a couple of pitchers that are slim and hold 2 quarts each and I'm actually about to buy another set now that I know I like them. I want to have drinks on the counter ready and waiting for me. So I can make the Canary, the Shrinker, some lemon water or lemonade, and my husband can make a pitcher of tea to drink throughout the day.
So basically I sit the strainer in the mouth of the pitcher and pour the blended lemon-water mix through the mesh. I stir it with my finger and tap it to get the last of the water out, then I dump the pulp into the trashcan (until I find a better way to use it). So I do that a few times as I'm pouring and then rinse it off right away so any little bits of lemon don't have time to dry and get stuck on the mesh... because nobody like a messy mesh. :)
This is what I'm left with once I've stirred it around.
And this is a gorgeous looking double batch of Canary. It makes me happy just looking at it.
But I'd much rather drink it.
I enjoy sipping my drinks through a straw, and instead of using, and continually purchasing, flimsy plastic straws I bought stainless steel straws. I use them every day. Makes it feel fun. I don't know why, but straws just do that for me.
So that's how I do it. Makes my life easier, and the easier something is, the more likely I'm going to stick with it.
If you want to know exactly what I used, I keep a list off to the side of my posts where I put all the things I love or want (in case I have to replace them or want to buy/get them as a gifts). I know a lot of people tend to have questions because not everything is available everywhere and it just makes life easier sometimes.
And last, but not least, here are some ways you could use the lemon peel:
Blend them up with water and make lemony ice cubes (<---lots of great ideas for flavored ice)
Lemon salt or lemon pepper
Garlic-Lemon infused olive oil
Candied lemon peel (with xylitol or erythritol)
Kale salad with preserved lemon and walnuts
Other ideas I had... you could make potpourri with it... lemon infused vodka... grate it over your fish... use it in a dry rub... so there's no need to toss the peels!
If you have any tips, tricks and ideas to streamline the drink making process, other ways to use the lemon peel, or what you do with your pulp please leave a comment so we can all learn!
The other day my husband and I were talking and we thought, why couldn't we just peel the lemon instead of using a paring knife? So we tried it. Not only does it cut the time and effort in half, it also left me with a beautiful, almost pith-free strip of lemon peel. So... I exert less effort and leave more of the beneficial pith on the lemon to blend into my drink.
So I thought I would share some tips to make life easier and also ideas on what to do with all that lemon peel - because it seems a shame to waste it and it certainly does pile up!
Ladies, meet your new best friend. It is a soft flesh peeler. And here's what it looks like in action:
This is what it looks like when you're done.
This one has serrated edges which makes it work for things like lemons and tomatoes (yes tomatoes) so I don't know how a regular peeler would handle it, but if you try one let me know.
I can't believe how perfectly it fits. I bought a couple of pitchers that are slim and hold 2 quarts each and I'm actually about to buy another set now that I know I like them. I want to have drinks on the counter ready and waiting for me. So I can make the Canary, the Shrinker, some lemon water or lemonade, and my husband can make a pitcher of tea to drink throughout the day.
So basically I sit the strainer in the mouth of the pitcher and pour the blended lemon-water mix through the mesh. I stir it with my finger and tap it to get the last of the water out, then I dump the pulp into the trashcan (until I find a better way to use it). So I do that a few times as I'm pouring and then rinse it off right away so any little bits of lemon don't have time to dry and get stuck on the mesh... because nobody like a messy mesh. :)
This is what I'm left with once I've stirred it around.
And this is a gorgeous looking double batch of Canary. It makes me happy just looking at it.
But I'd much rather drink it.
I enjoy sipping my drinks through a straw, and instead of using, and continually purchasing, flimsy plastic straws I bought stainless steel straws. I use them every day. Makes it feel fun. I don't know why, but straws just do that for me.
So that's how I do it. Makes my life easier, and the easier something is, the more likely I'm going to stick with it.
If you want to know exactly what I used, I keep a list off to the side of my posts where I put all the things I love or want (in case I have to replace them or want to buy/get them as a gifts). I know a lot of people tend to have questions because not everything is available everywhere and it just makes life easier sometimes.
And last, but not least, here are some ways you could use the lemon peel:
Blend them up with water and make lemony ice cubes (<---lots of great ideas for flavored ice)
Lemon salt or lemon pepper
Garlic-Lemon infused olive oil
Candied lemon peel (with xylitol or erythritol)
Kale salad with preserved lemon and walnuts
Other ideas I had... you could make potpourri with it... lemon infused vodka... grate it over your fish... use it in a dry rub... so there's no need to toss the peels!
If you have any tips, tricks and ideas to streamline the drink making process, other ways to use the lemon peel, or what you do with your pulp please leave a comment so we can all learn!
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