Aloha and Mahalo Hawaii

I will let the photo's speak for themselves!

"Comfort" Food and "Joy"-ful Gatherings

Will you just look at this plate of fabulous-ness that my neighbor sent over!!!!

(piping, steaming hot!)

She is Vietnamese, so I promise, these are the real McCoy of authenticity.
I alone ate 1/2 of this plate. Complete with fish sauce. They were simply awesome and a work of art; folded and crafted with such care and love. No professional chef, could have improved upon these darling pockets of perfection. I mean, look at the presentation alone! Wow!

I never noticed how much my two daughters, on the left, look alike. Other than hair color...they could be .....sisters! Here they are at the church Christmas dinner with Mia.

Here are Jordan and Mia being silly.
Jordan has been helping Stacy everyday after she gets off work.
I don't know who appreciates it more; Jordan for getting to play with the kids, or Stacy for
Having Jordan there to play with the kids.

Malaina and a fellow single's ward member, Matt, did a dry run of a beautiful arrangement of "O Come O Come Emmanuel", for part of the entertainment. I loved it. My daughter is so talented, and pretty, she is minoring in music @ BYU.

I agonized for weeks over my assignment to decorate the church cultural hall. All together this cost $10.00 to do several dozen tables. With the money we saved, we bought poinsettias for a contest give-a-way. I was amazing how many people would not let me cut berries from their bushes or trees. I finally have Leah J. and Foot- Printer's Park (where I poached twigs) for supplying the red berries. Thanks also to my neighbor Brad for not caring that we trimmed his Ponderosa Pines. I also poached pear twigs from guys who were pruning trees at a local Doctor's office complex

I promise that this is the last photo. I really am glad I was involved in the Ward Christmas Party, but, I am glad it is OVER!!!

Give away winner posted here.

As for the Giveaway. I have chosen anonymous number one. You're right. I am the sucker too. email me with your information...
cgaddisgo@gmail.com

Outrageous Orange

What is my favorite color??? Duh?

I have been a regular at Pillsbury.com as of late for the recipes. But did you know they carry lots of orange cooking gear? Really cool stuff that is exclusive to them. I don't care for Rachel Ray's show, but her recipes are great, and we both LOVE orange!!!! I know I will cook great food with these lovelies. Everything will taste sooo much better.

Infamy Remembered Here

Infamy is big word I need to use more often in my vocabulary. ~ DEFINITION HERE ~ The events surrounding one of Japan's most infamous acts and our thrust into World War II will not be forgotten by my family.



Four of my Great Uncles and two of my Great Aunts husbands, and my Grandfather all served in World War II. One of my uncles earned 3 Bronze Stars and flew several missions over Europe, several earned Purple Hearts, one Uncle guarded Nazi prisoners, one Uncle helped liberate France, and my Grandfather Was in Hawaii, and Italy both.

My amazing Great Grandmother stayed home and raised her grandson while his mother my grandmother went to work. My Dad says during the war he remembers running into the kitchen and in a single moment of angst saw his grandmother with her head on the kitchen table. He says that is the only time she showed weakness. Can you imagine.... 4 sons and 2 sons in law in the war at once?!!

So here is to the Greatest Generation. The men and the women who lived through this amazing time in our Nation's history, and for the incredible integrity and patriotism of their example.

Give-away on the Glad's Decorations Dilema

Yes, the Glad's will be off to the sunny isle of Oahu in just a few short days, does this mean I won't have to put up my tree? Or take the cute as a button Autumn pumpkins off my porch? By a show of hands, you faithful few who still visit here at this blog, comment: Decorate or not to Decorate.
Leave a good comment and you will win a free subscription to Entertainment Weekly.

Everything...AND...the Kitchen Sink!

The most exciting thing to happen to me this week was that my husband gave me carte blanche at the plumbing department of Home Depot. You can see I chose the most expensive faucet in the store, well almost the most expensive. It is really high up so I can wash all my big fancy kitchen equipment. Ultimately the Glad man knows "happy wife-happy life". He benefits because now I like cooking and cleaning, and this means lots of ummm-good meals for him.


Jordan had lots of fun playing Molly Mormon Homemaker for her nursery kids. She made these darling turkey cookies. She said that all the children, even the very tiny ones understood the concept of "turkey day" with these darlings as rewards. She would not let any child take a cookie until their parent's picked them up, and the minute their parent set foot in the room, they turned and came running back for their turkey cookie.
None were as proud of Brandon as Tiny was for his most excellent performances in William Shakespeare's Henry V. He had lots of lines and is a very good actor. Brava Brandon!
Ouch-a-palooza! Yes, it is as bad as it looks. Tiny has suffered from chronic ingrown toenails for many, many years. She elected to have the procedure done to remove *permanently* the side portions of her nail beds, thus hopefully eliminating the inevitable pus, pain and amount of home surgery's we perform at home.


Whew, there is never a dull moment. I cannot let this day pass without some mention of that blasted Adam Lambert. Fool! What were you thinking???? Did you not think about the young girls and "decent" people who backed you before you imitated sex acts on the AMA?!!! We voted for you, stuck up for you when others hated you!!! To quote P.T Barnum.."There's a sucker born every minute." And this time it was us....and according to your performance you too.

Bon Jovi's single 'We Weren't Born To Follow'

This is an open invitation to my husband to take me to their concert. The tour begins Feb. 18, 2010. I prefer New York City.
THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT

Corny Craft Idea

Do you need a cute little craft idea for your Thanksgiving table? Consider this darling Indian Corn favor.

You need:

• Reese's Pieces (large bags are at Sam's Club)
  
• Food service disposable gloves (see if Subway will give you half a dozen)
  
• 1 package corn husks (In the Mexican foods section of your grocery store)

Soak the corn husks for about 2 hours in cool water and drain or pat dry before use. Cut the fingers off the food service gloves. Fill the fingers with candy, leaving a bit of space to twist them closed and tie them off with a piece of corn husk. Add corn husk as a wrap around or just tear strips off and tie them to the top.

• Thin husks work best
• The thinner your strips are the cuter they will curl.
• The ties will get very tight once they dry.

Please leave remarks if you like this. Our little Activity Day girls who are all 8-9 loved this and made dozens in under an hour.

What a Shock...we avoided.

This is how Tiny looked earlier today, only her eyes were swollen shut. The ER doc, suspects we avoided anaphylactic shock this time, by the skin of our teeth. We have had a wake up call and it is time to get serious about what we eat.

We have recorded every single thing she ate. I am suspect of nuts. However, Christina is a vegetarian, and has eaten nuts nearly everyday for the past 3 years. Especially this particular version of nuts.I have made an appointment with an immunologist as the future Dr. Malaina recommended. Go type your 3000 word paper on pluthera cells Malaina and leave the doctoring to mom. Of all my children, Tiny has been the most prone to allergies. As a youngster, it was dairy. As a pre-teen, hay-fever began, then a reaction to medicine. Now what?

She is carrying the EPIpen to school tomorrow.

These Little Piggies.....

......Went to Royal Nails 8

Between us 4 girls we have had HUNDREDS of mani/pedi's. Royal Nails 8 in Pleasant Grove is the best in the valley. Ask for Deedee, Kim or Kimberly. (801) 796-0907
This is a luxury no woman will do without once you have gone.... ever. Our first Pedi's were in Malaysia years ago, and we used to go almost weekly because they were so affordable. Now during the Summer, we go every two/three weeks, and in the Winter maybe once a month. Okay, maybe I go twice a month.

Quick but NEVER Tired

I never ever get tired of a good quick bread. Here are a few tips for quick bread success.

1. Follow the recipe exactly. Baking is a science, that being said I don't understand the following rule, but just trust me it works...
   
2. If you live in high altitude 4,000 feet or higher, like I do add 3 Tablespoons of flour and 1/2 teaspoon less baking soda or powder to your dry ingredients.
3. Dust your berries/chips in flour or they will sink to the bottom of the loaf.
4. Quick breads almost always taste better the next day.
5. Quick breads slice better when room temperature.
6. Hand mix, unless the recipe directs, or your bread will be tough.
   

To get your recipe for the best pumpkin bread in town, follow the links below. Comment and tell Nancy, Cynthia's Blog sent you!

KitchenLane
Autumn Pumpkin Cranberry Quick Bread
by
Nancy Baggett

Radical Red

Is there really any doubt on who will win Celebrity Apprentice 2010? This woman at left, does not intimidate, speaks with a voice that can crack a bell, has the vocabulary of a diplomat and a sailor, has business acumen of any Harvard Business School professor, and she has the greatest hair I have ever seen on a mature woman!

Dave read a rock and roll book that a major band wrote, where they reminisce about Sharon and how her iron clad claws had a death grip on the Motley Crue boys. They were scared to death of her, and had to beg, literally on hands and knees for "groupie company", because she would not allow them any privileges. Not that I approve of such behavior, but the life she choose was Hard Rock, and she can head bang with ANY old person.

Bret Michaels is also cast as well, she eats boys like him for lunch and spits them out later. Cyndi Lauper, sorry, your true colors will bleed together. Ron Blagojevich, you lie like a dog, and Sharon will pet you like she does her own little band of pups. Curtis Stone? Whaaa? You may be really pretty, but Sharon hates the smell of cooking food, and you will be the first "chaa-eff" ousted. (that is how he pronounces the word "chef".) You can go to Dlisted to see the other Celebrities The Donald has lined up for us this season. I for one will not miss a single episode~

Headline: Glad for Color

Mild Autumn Brings Wild Color to the Glad Home

"Due to the mild Autumn in Provo, Utah, many of nature's bounty is going through a revival of color," says Mrs. Glad at her west side Provo home. Mrs. Glad credits Mr. Glad's thoughtful planning of his spring plantings of annuals and perennials at the start of the growing season. "We cannot recall a more amazing floral growing season as this one!" stated Mrs. Glad. "I mean the size of this pansy was a shocking surprise when I saw it this afternoon."


Mrs. Glad loves to remind everyone of the amazing miniature roses that came from a sad part of the local Smith's grocery store. She says they took off after her putting them is a very sunny part of the garden. She rarely has to dead head them and they just bloom as fast as they can. "They have quadrupled in size!" exclaimed Glad, "I even revived one that my daughter had nearly killed at her office desk." she laughs.

Mrs. Glad thinks the secret to her lovely garden is the downward slope for drainage, and the strong western sun, for color and re-bloom.

"African daisy's are available in many colors, and they have bloomed for us from Spring to Summer this season." Mrs Glad could hardly believe these daisies kept blooming even after a killing frost, well into November. "I mean, here we are 2 weeks from Thanksgiving and my daisies are having a revival,"chuckled Glad. "Thank heaven, we have been too busy to put our garden to bed this season, or we would have missed all this wonderful color!"
Mrs. Glad wants to remind readers to let leaves rest on the garden bed, to mulch and provide ample insulation to tender plants over the winter.

George Lopez - The View

If you are a night owl like me, you might enjoy watching Lopez Tonight, on TBS. It is really outrageous and he has a set even cooler than American Idol. Check it out at midnight.

Chimp Kitchen

Someone requested this recipe, and it so, so, easy I thought it would be something everyone in the whole world should have. We all need a few recipes that are always stocked in our homes for those stinky days when we are losing it... you know what I mean. Are you ready? This is something so easy even a chimp can make it.


Chicken Taco Soup
1 - 13 oz. can drained chicken, such as the kind you buy in bulk at Sam's Club
1 - 11 oz. can diced tomatoes and chiles, such as Rotel
1 - 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 - 15 oz. can kidney beans
1 - 15 oz. can black beans
1 - 15 oz. whole kernal corn
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 package ranch dressing mix

Suggested toppings: ANYTHING YOU WOULD PUT ON A TACO, including the tortilla chips.

No need to drain anything. Combine it all in a crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 2-4 hours. Or you can do like the chimps in my kitchen, and just put it in a pot and heat it for a few minutes.

New Mexican Green Chile Stew

Green Chile Stew, yes this is how the New Mexican's refer to their famous delicious bowl of heaven. Each family I know makes their Chile Verde, as Coloradans call it, a different way, and each of us thinks theirs is the best. My entire lineage is of Mexican descent, and both my maternal and paternal grandmothers were excellent cooks, but they made no one dish the same. Including the famous Chile Verde. I was taught how to make this dish by my mother, and that is how I will make it until I die. But when I saw this version of New Mexico Green Chile Stew, and saw it was more like a soup than a gravy chile I gave in and tried it. It tastes nothing like the pork gravy version I make, but instead it is more light and soupy for a whole main course. Hatch Green Chile Love is a connector blog post I did on the Green Chile madness that is purely southwestern in origin.

This recipe comes from Saveur Magazine and when I tried to find the references for it I failed. But it is about 10 years old. I have the clipped article about a "Spanish" familiy called the Arellano's and their farm recipes. Some New Mexicans do not like to refer to themselves as Mexican Americans prefering to keep the "Spanish" lineage pure. Barf. Racism within a race if you ask me. If you have been in New Mexico for centuries like my family has, or like the Arellano's claim, somewhere in your family tree, you have mixed with a Mexican, or an Indian. That fact alone makes you a Mexican-American. Seriously.

New Mexican Green Chile Stew
SAVEUR Magazine No.53

8 medium-hot fresh green chiles
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless beef chuck, cut into 1" pieces
Salt
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
5 new potatoes, peeled, and halved
2 medium tomatoes, cored and diced
1 tsp. ground cumin

1. Set the the oven rack in top third of the oven and preheat the broiler. Arrange chiles in a single layer on a large baking sheet and broil on each side just until their skin blisters and chars. about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chiles to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, peel off skins and remove and discard stems and seeds. Coarsely chop chiles and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Generously season beef with salt, then add meat to pot and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft, 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, scraping any browned bits stuck to bottom of pot. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover pot, and simmer until meat is tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.

3. Add potatoes to pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking, partially covered, until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin, reserved chiles, and salt to taste and simmer, completely covered, until meat is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minuets more. adjust seasonings. Serve with warm flour tortillas, if you like. Beware the longer this simmers, the spicier the heat of the chile.

David Letterman - Michael Buble Top Ten

Please get past the first 35 seconds of this advertisement and watch the brilliance of Buble on the Letterman show. This was last nights show. WATCH!!!!!!!

Blessed be.

My friend Cari over at time flies is doing her fourth annual Thanksgiving list. She takes 30 days to give thanks over blessings in her life. Well, my last post was rather cleansing....ranting....slightly angry, and I decided to do something similar to Cari, at least for this post.

I am thankful that Aaron Carter and his numbskull dance partner Karina (beef jerky tits...yes, Jordan named them that) Smirnoff, will be voted off DWTS soon. If I have to look at his vein pop out of his forehead, or her boobs pop out of her suit case leather chest, one more time I am going to stroke out.













I am also Thankful that Cari Ann Inaba didn't smack my behind like she did Donny's last night on DWTS. Poor Donny has been "female handled" more that his wife would care to admit. I wonder how many times he has had to ask Kelly Osborne to please stop using the "f" word?












I am thankful I am so forgiving of my neighbor 'cause that dear sweet young thang has brought home another trailer and I am not going to complain for 72 whole hours!!!











*do you get the irony of the trailer in this photo?








I am thankful that this is not a letter I received:

Dear Neighbour.. Sincere apologies for writing to you. However it has been 2 days that a very very annoying pungent of CAT POO smell is coming strongly from your house from the kitchen balcony area. It made me now real sick and now unable to eat my food without feeling wanting to vomit. Kindly look into this and get rid of this smell to ensure that we live harmony as neighbours...and Yes i am really PISSED OFF!

This came from a Malaysian friend via Facebook...she is having her own troubles with her neighbors, and put this letter under the door. Hee hee.


I am thankful that John Curtis is the mayor-elect and there are new city council members ready to replace the old, and tired ones. Other candidates were too partisan to the "Politics as Usual" mumbo jumbo. Although after reading this post, it is doubtful he will be thankful I mentioned him here.