Thursday, June 3, 2010
Pretty Little Maidens
I have looked for these cute little maidens forever. When I finally found them I danced a little jig! True story! These are part of the infamous pin up girls (they may make an appearance). I love that they are trying to look so welcoming but their faces seem so put out. Under their breath you know they are cussing you.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
And The Winner Is.....
A big, huge, gigantic thank you for everyone who entered the giveaway. Thanks to all the new readers and the old timers for sharing the love. At first I was going to use that fancy random number thingy but then I decided to be old school and write the names down and pull one out of OMP's hat.
Now without further adeau, the winner is......
MAIRZYDOATS!
If you didn't win this time, never fear! I have it on good authority that there will be more giveaways in the coming weeks, including Trader Tiki's yummy syrups! There will also be more embroidery and maybe even a book or two. So, stay tune for more yummy drinks, crazy critters and whacky adventures.
For the record, you guys rock my socks! Thanks for being the best ever!
*Marizydoats! I need your address! Please email me @v1313@hotmail.com. Thanks!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Tie One On Tuesday!
The roaring 20's. Ladies were loose, the drinks were stiff and the time was high. What better way to spend a night than with a powerful drink while dancing the Charleston. Prohibition may have started but it definitely didn't stop us.
Contrary to popular belief not all Southerners sit on our verandas drinking Mint Julips. Most of us drank out of the jug with XXX on it, but I'll include this interesting drink cause I'm a Southern lady (quit snickering). This concoction is mainly sipped around the time of the Kentucky Derby but it is great for any of those hot summer nights.
Mint Julip
Ingredients
4 to 6 leaves of mint
1/2 oz. of Bourbon Whiskey
1 tsp. powdered sugar
2 tsp. water
Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a Collins glass.
Fill the glass with shaved or crushed ice and add bourbon.
Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig.
Oh my goodness! I do love a Margarita! I have no idea how such simple ingredients can cause such a riot, but give a few of these to a some sassy girls and watch the dancing begin! This drink began in Tijuana when it was a popular vacation spot.
Margarita
2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Cointreau
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
ice cubes
Kosher salt
Rub a cut lime wedge around the rim of your glass then dip into a dish of kosher salt.
Pour ingredients into shaker, add ice, shake well and pour into your salt rimmed glass. Please-do not blend, not this time.
The Last Word, invented at the Detroit Athletic Club during the early 1920's was, up until recently, a "lost" cocktail. Revived thanks to the resurgence of interest in vintage cocktail, this drink takes a delicate balance to mix correctly. If you master it, you will have the last word and it will be, "Now you're on the trolley!"
Last Word
3/4 oz dry Gin
3/4 oz. Maraschino liqueur
3/4 oz green Chartreuse
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
Ice cubes
Combine all the ingredients into a shaker with ice, and shake well for EXACTLY 10 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass.
The 1920's brought us excess and downfall (sound familiar?). Women got the right to vote, Speakeasies replaced saloons for social gatherings and The Harlem Renaissance was in full swing. Being the pioneers that we are, we learned to make a great cocktails even in the face of banned alcohol. It was truly a time of change.
Contrary to popular belief not all Southerners sit on our verandas drinking Mint Julips. Most of us drank out of the jug with XXX on it, but I'll include this interesting drink cause I'm a Southern lady (quit snickering). This concoction is mainly sipped around the time of the Kentucky Derby but it is great for any of those hot summer nights.
Mint Julip
Ingredients
4 to 6 leaves of mint
1/2 oz. of Bourbon Whiskey
1 tsp. powdered sugar
2 tsp. water
Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a Collins glass.
Fill the glass with shaved or crushed ice and add bourbon.
Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig.
Oh my goodness! I do love a Margarita! I have no idea how such simple ingredients can cause such a riot, but give a few of these to a some sassy girls and watch the dancing begin! This drink began in Tijuana when it was a popular vacation spot.
Margarita
2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Cointreau
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
ice cubes
Kosher salt
Rub a cut lime wedge around the rim of your glass then dip into a dish of kosher salt.
Pour ingredients into shaker, add ice, shake well and pour into your salt rimmed glass. Please-do not blend, not this time.
The Last Word, invented at the Detroit Athletic Club during the early 1920's was, up until recently, a "lost" cocktail. Revived thanks to the resurgence of interest in vintage cocktail, this drink takes a delicate balance to mix correctly. If you master it, you will have the last word and it will be, "Now you're on the trolley!"
Last Word
3/4 oz dry Gin
3/4 oz. Maraschino liqueur
3/4 oz green Chartreuse
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
Ice cubes
Combine all the ingredients into a shaker with ice, and shake well for EXACTLY 10 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass.
The 1920's brought us excess and downfall (sound familiar?). Women got the right to vote, Speakeasies replaced saloons for social gatherings and The Harlem Renaissance was in full swing. Being the pioneers that we are, we learned to make a great cocktails even in the face of banned alcohol. It was truly a time of change.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thank You
Today is Memorial Day in the United States. It is a day that we honor and give thanks to those who have served in the military. I would love to honor my father who was a Drill Sargent in the Marines. If you knew my father, you could see it. He served in the Korean war. My father-in-law was in the Navy during the Korean war and was one of the youngest salvage deep sea bell divers and at the time was the youngest Lieutenant Commanders in the service. Now my nephew is in the Army and although I worry about him-I know that he comes from strong stock and will come back even more of a cuss than when he left.
To honor our men and women who so dutifully served and gave their lives for freedom, I have decided to pick a few of my favorite war time or military movies and none of them have John Wayne in them!
Mash came out in 1970 and addressed the Korean war through the eyes of a wacky medical unit. This black comedy chronicles the daily lives of civilians drafted into military service. It's a serving of nurses, doctors and their patients with a side of hot lips and martinis. Robert Altman's classic allows us to laugh at a tragedy of war and know that being human is okay.
Robert Duvall as Major Frank Burns is a sight not to be missed.
You KNOW I love a good 1940's musical. I can NOT resist them! Betty Grable in Pin Up Girl is just too much for me to handle. She is absolutely adorable in this musical comedy romp. Her imagination is much more vivid than her real life but it does lead her to a true love who happens to be a naval hero. Will she get the guy and the USO? You have to watch to find out.
One thing I love about military movies in the 1940's is that they were supportive and knew of the sacrifices that everyone was making. At the end of most movies during the 40's, they reminded us to buy war bonds at the concession stand, and they told us that, "we know you're suffering for freedom, but let us entertain you". One movie that celebrates (in it's own way) the women of the war is Rosie the Riveter. During the war, Rosie and her friend Vera have to share the last room with a slightly dysfunctional family. Although the movie doesn't spend a lot of time on the importance of Rosie and her fellow workers' role in the war, it does allow us to see the history of what women went through. Jane Frazee is wonderful and the musical numbers are catchy. Plus, how can you be upset at a movie that has a Conga line in it.
Again, I want to thank the men and women who have given their life for their country. Their sacrifice of the one thing so precious should be honored. We should learn from our history and hope that there is more peace than war, more laughter than heartache and more love than hate.
To honor our men and women who so dutifully served and gave their lives for freedom, I have decided to pick a few of my favorite war time or military movies and none of them have John Wayne in them!
Mash came out in 1970 and addressed the Korean war through the eyes of a wacky medical unit. This black comedy chronicles the daily lives of civilians drafted into military service. It's a serving of nurses, doctors and their patients with a side of hot lips and martinis. Robert Altman's classic allows us to laugh at a tragedy of war and know that being human is okay.
Robert Duvall as Major Frank Burns is a sight not to be missed.
You KNOW I love a good 1940's musical. I can NOT resist them! Betty Grable in Pin Up Girl is just too much for me to handle. She is absolutely adorable in this musical comedy romp. Her imagination is much more vivid than her real life but it does lead her to a true love who happens to be a naval hero. Will she get the guy and the USO? You have to watch to find out.
One thing I love about military movies in the 1940's is that they were supportive and knew of the sacrifices that everyone was making. At the end of most movies during the 40's, they reminded us to buy war bonds at the concession stand, and they told us that, "we know you're suffering for freedom, but let us entertain you". One movie that celebrates (in it's own way) the women of the war is Rosie the Riveter. During the war, Rosie and her friend Vera have to share the last room with a slightly dysfunctional family. Although the movie doesn't spend a lot of time on the importance of Rosie and her fellow workers' role in the war, it does allow us to see the history of what women went through. Jane Frazee is wonderful and the musical numbers are catchy. Plus, how can you be upset at a movie that has a Conga line in it.
Again, I want to thank the men and women who have given their life for their country. Their sacrifice of the one thing so precious should be honored. We should learn from our history and hope that there is more peace than war, more laughter than heartache and more love than hate.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sweet Saturday
Memorial day kicks off the summer season and keeping with tradition there will be tons of BBQ to celebrate the holiday.I have the perfect way to impress your friends and cool down than with this absolutely easy yet beyond belief delicious frozen lemon cream cupcake.
Lemon Cream
1 cup sugar
Juice and finely grated rind of one lemon
2 cups whipping cream
Crust
1/4 cup salted butter (you can use unsalted but the salt in the butter gives a little savory to the tart and sweet of the cream)
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
2 tablespoons sugar
Fruit, mint or candied lemon for garnish
To make the lemon cream:
Combine sugar, lemon juice and rind into a large bowl. Gradually beat in the cream. You do not want the cream to be stiff, just enough to mix everything and to have a heavy texture but not a full stuff whipped cream texture.
To make the crust:
Melt butter in a pan over low heat and stir in crushed graham crackers, corn flakes and sugar. Take off of the heat and mix together.
Line cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners and spoon crust mixture into the bottom to make a crust. Next scoop in the lemon cream-have it reach just about to the top
Place cupcake pan in the freezer for at least 3 hours for small bite size cupcakes and over 4 for jumbo size. Take out and garnish with fruit, lemon candy or mint.
I took the cream out of the wrapper so you could see what it looks like but serving at a BBQ or party, I could leave them in the wrapper. You can eat them in a single bite or with a spoon and just like ice cream they will melt in the heat so take them out at the last minute.
I can't believe how easy something this decadent is! The combo of the graham cracker with the lemon cream is to die for! Make these for your next get together and you will be the life of the party! People will bow at your feet. I promise!
Lemon Cream
1 cup sugar
Juice and finely grated rind of one lemon
2 cups whipping cream
Crust
1/4 cup salted butter (you can use unsalted but the salt in the butter gives a little savory to the tart and sweet of the cream)
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
2 tablespoons sugar
Fruit, mint or candied lemon for garnish
To make the lemon cream:
Combine sugar, lemon juice and rind into a large bowl. Gradually beat in the cream. You do not want the cream to be stiff, just enough to mix everything and to have a heavy texture but not a full stuff whipped cream texture.
To make the crust:
Melt butter in a pan over low heat and stir in crushed graham crackers, corn flakes and sugar. Take off of the heat and mix together.
Line cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners and spoon crust mixture into the bottom to make a crust. Next scoop in the lemon cream-have it reach just about to the top
Place cupcake pan in the freezer for at least 3 hours for small bite size cupcakes and over 4 for jumbo size. Take out and garnish with fruit, lemon candy or mint.
I took the cream out of the wrapper so you could see what it looks like but serving at a BBQ or party, I could leave them in the wrapper. You can eat them in a single bite or with a spoon and just like ice cream they will melt in the heat so take them out at the last minute.
I can't believe how easy something this decadent is! The combo of the graham cracker with the lemon cream is to die for! Make these for your next get together and you will be the life of the party! People will bow at your feet. I promise!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Crazy Lazy Daises
Whenever I come across patterns that say "Yours" and "Mine", I instantly think of someone looking at their partner and saying, " Ummmm, honey, that's mine, THAT'S yours" and then mumbling how much of a butthead they are under their breath. LOL! These patterns are too sweet to think ill thoughts of your sweetie, but they will bring a tear to your eye having to do all those lazy daises and french knots.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wild Card Wednesday Give Away!
It's Wednesday and Anything goes! Why? Cause I say so! Summer is almost here for most of us, that is, unless you live in Portland Oregon right now-which it hasn't stopped raining. So, to kick off Memorial day weekend I thought I would give you-my happy reader-a chance to win embroidery from me-the happy writer. What do you win-well, I'll show ya! You get a chance to win this adorable hand stitched apron and because I'm feeling extra generous, I might throw in a few more goodies into the box. Cause, I'm nice like that.
How do you enter? You have to leave a comment-that's it, nothing more, nothing less. If you Facebook about the give away, you get another entry and if someone else decides to follow my blog and says you sent them here, it's another entry.See, easy peasy! The drawing will be next Wednesday so get going on those entries! Good luck!
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