Gator Pam

As it’s only my second year gardening, and first year attempting to grow through the winter, all this is an experiment. I have leeks and purple tree collards currently growing, and plan to plant some lettuce, broccoli, and cabbage to see how they do. I’m also going to plant garlic and elephant garlic to overwinter. I may try seeding some pelleted carrots, spinach, and golden beets. If any of them grow, I’ll be ahead of the game. I also did some reading on planting tomatoes really early for us in March. I figure I’ll give a couple of plants a try, but will keep a couple in reserve for planting during the typical start of our season in late May/early June.

Overnight temperature is supposed to drop to 30 degrees F. Here’s my attempt at providing protection for the cold hardy vegetables I’m still growing.

For slow moving or busy at home holiday mornings: Blintz Casserole Filling: (1) 6 oz package cream cheese (room temperature) 1 cup cottage cheese 1 egg beaten 1 TBS sugar 1 tsp vanilla Batter: 1/2 cup butter or margarine (room temperature) 1/3 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 cup flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 cup plain yogurt 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup orange juice Preheat oven to 375ºF. Butter and flour a large casserole dish (9x13). In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, add cottage cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla, mix well and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well. Add flour and baking powder. Mix in sour cream and yogurt and add orange juice. Pour 1/2 of batter into prepared casserole dish, layer in filling and then top with remaining batter. Bake 45-50 minutes until lightly browned. Slice into squares and serve with a dollop of sour cream and yogurt and fresh berry preserves.

I’m definitely a repeat participant.

While I wait for an answer to the above, if anyone is interested in seeing the tattoo work done yesterday, I did post it on Facebook. The post is set to public, so anyone on Facebook should be able to see it. The photo is not spoiled, so if you click on the link you will see a full on photo of my reconstructed breast with the colored in Phoenix. https://www.facebook.com/100091489317640/posts/pfbid02kgapvf57AmGbYQpedEJBZpG1TeFLJW7xxtjRRFS8gZnxJVUCWip33Rk7rnAtQEvtl/?mibextid=Na33Lf

Is there a way to spoil/blur photos to share here? I would love to share a photo of the work which was done on my tattoo yesterday, but it is a full on shot of my nude reconstructed breast. I know how to spoil a photo over on the Discord so one has to click on it to see it, and am wondering if the same option is here. Then, I need to find out if it is OK to share such as a spoiled photo in either or both places.

Oh. My. Stars… So, when I was talking to Krystin Jones of Tattoos by KJ, the artist doing the decorative tattoos over my mastectomy scars, about this year’s P.ink Greater Seattle P.Ink Day event down in Tacoma, the plan was for me to show up and do my usual, i.e, walk around and distract any of the thrivers from any pain they may be feeling, take photos, etc. KJ said she also wanted to talk to me regarding something she thought I would like, but said we would talk about it once I arrived at the Meet and Greet while took pictures. When I walked in just now, KJ greeted me with “speak of the devil!” Apparently she was discussing me with one of the thrivers and their artist. Turns out another artist showed up and KJ’s thriver is going to be worked on them, leaving KJ free. I have just gone from volunteer to 2nd time participant! I have no idea if all of the remaining work left to be done can be finished tomorrow, but I know KJ will make a good dent on it now before heading out of state again. Seriously. I’m sitting here in shock. I have never heard of a participant getting to take part more than once in P.Ink Day!

Ooo… I like the idea for the coffee crystals mixed into the buttermilk. I’ll try that next year! The recipe for the challah is in the description box of this YouTube video. I also love the video itself for how the creator ties different spiritual steps into the making of the challah. It’s truly a “holy” experience.

Huzzah for the winners!

If he could possibly let you know if he does see it go much lower in price anytime before mid-July, please let me know. Thank you, I checked them out. No deals on the Doctor Who set.

I made chicken bone broth/stock in the Instant Pot yesterday, an all day affair from about 7:30 am until 10:45 pm with steps still to go to package and freeze tomorrow. However, today I’m taking the spent bones and making homemade bone meal for the garden, and then I’ll make some more homemade tomato sauce from the rest of the tomatoes I have now while the spent bones are roasting.

For our Canadians.

I’m in shock. Beorn actually reached out to me with a gift request. Finding something for him is usually a guessing game, more often not received as well as I hoped, but always appreciated. Anyway, he’s requesting a new Magic The Gathering four deck set which is on preorder right now. It’s Doctor Who themed. I already have both his Hanukkah and Christmas gifts, but I can keep this in mind for his birthday next summer, if he doesn’t get it before then. Does anyone have suggestions on how to find deals on trading card games? This is a category that’s new to me. I definitely have until mid-Summer before needing to purchase.

Hoping although it sounds as if your car isn’t, that you are OK!

This is eerily accurate for the Pacific Northwet. At least, here on the Eastside of Seattle…

Connection is slow Traffic jammed and parking slammed Yet it’s worth all this!

Happy Happy! Silver anniversary next year!

If there are any seconds available and listed, I’ll be checking Grim Oak Press’ Black Friday sale for copies of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight and Dragonquest. I’ll also be checking Thermoworks for silicon spoonulas as stocking stuffers and Amazon for buy 2/get 1 free specials on Jeffrey Eisner’s newest Instant Pot cookbook. Other than that, I have nothing planned to purchase. But, I’ll keep my eyes on posted ads and see if anything strikes my fancy.

Rabbit! Rabbit!! Rabbit!!!

Received mine. No postage due and they’re awesome! Happy 20th, GottaDeal!

This sounds amazing. hmm. I forgot about the interaction with baking soda. Excellent point. I’ll need to think on this.

I think for me the only thing I’m hoping to score well in is the Grim Oak Press Black Friday sale. I missed out on the BF version of McCaffrey’s Dragonflight last year, but I would still like to start collecting with Dragonquest if they offer any seconds of it. Otherwise, I’ll see if anything advertised catches my eye. With my son grown and not with anyone yet, I’m not really going excessive with gifts anymore.

Well fudge… To quote the Stones, “What a drag it is Getting old” I’ve been doing a daily Amsler grid test due to dry aging macular degeneration for about five years now. I’ve always had the central dot fading out, so that’s considered my base. But today the adjacent line next to the dot is curved, so off I go to the ophthalmologist on an emergency basis. Wish me well, please.

I’m starting the thread a little late this year, but so far I only did some baking for the second night of Rosh HaShannah. I tried a new challah dough recipe, which was very good. I also tried a new shape for the crown challah, which can use some improvement, but I think I know what I’ll do next year and updated my recipe accordingly. To make the crown challah, start with a standard 5-strand braid shaped loaf. Taking three smaller strands, make a small 3-strand braided loaf. I find starting in the middle and then flipping the braid over to braid the other side turns out prettier. Taper the ends of the mini loaf and even out the middle. Keeping the mini loaf flat, roll it upon itself… …to generate this pretty rosette. The rosette is supposed to go along the side of the 5-strand loaf in the middle and then curve the larger loaf around it. But I had extra dough, so I made two rosettes and wound up with an oval. Allow to rise covered for 45 minutes. Brush with an egg wash and add desired toppings. Our household has folks who like toppings and others who don’t, so I made half with and without toppings. Fresh out of the oven. Next time I’m going to make two smaller loaves, and bake them in round foil pans, so they don’t spread as much. The Apple Honey Upside Down Cake fresh out of the oven. It is so pretty… The cake calls for baking in a 9” round pan, but I prefer a taller cake so I made the full recipe and baked it in my 8”X3” round push pan, using the longer time of 70 minutes per the recipe. It came out lovely and tall with a tender crumb. The recipe calls for serving warm with whipped cream and a drizzle of additional honey. I found a slightly warm slice without the additions to be just fine. A question for those who experiment more with baking recipes than I do. The apple honey cake uses 3/4 of a cup of buttermilk, making it dairy by kosher standards. It uses butter as well. I have no problem with that, as I don’t keep kosher. However, most honey cake I had in the past is parve, so it could be served with either meat or dairy. If someone wants to make the recipe, I don’t suggest changing it as it is wonderful as is. However, I’m finding I’m missing the bitterness of the coffee in the cake. Do you think I can reduce the buttermilk to a half a cup, and replace the quarter cup with cooled brewed espresso? Or would that change the flavor profile [i]too[/i] much?

Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!!! (almost forgot)