Richard Scarry

When I was growing up, my parents read Richard Scarry books and Bernstein Bears to us. As a child, you were addicted to what was read to you, and you never forget it. To this day, I love the books and will be reading them to my children when I have them.

Today, would have been Richard's 92nd birthday. Scarry is known for books featuring anthropomorphic animals living in the fictional Busytown. His first book, "Great Big Car and Truck Book," was published in 1951 by Little Golden Books.His books have sold over 200 million copies in 30 languages.Scarry was born in Boston in 1919,and died in 1994 in Gstaad, Switzerland.

June

June's cooking adventure goes CAJUN!

Cajun Crab Croquettes

Ingredients
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided
1 pound pasteurized crabmeat, drained if necessary
1 large egg white
3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs, divided
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
This recipe calls for:
Zesty Rémoulade Sauce

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425nF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, corn and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add crab, egg white, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, mayonnaise and lemon zest. Mix well.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions (about 1/2 cup each). Form each portion into an oblong patty that's about 4 inches by 2 inches. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and 2 teaspoons oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 heaping teaspoon of the breadcrumb mixture over the top of each croquette, then gently press it on.
Bake the croquettes until heated through and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/diet_meal_plans/500_calorie_dinners_chicken?page=10

Deal with it!

I have tattoos, so I'm a trouble maker.
I have curves, so I'm fat.
If I wear makeup, I'm fake.
If I say what I think, I'm a bitch.
If I cry some times, I'm a drama queen.
If I have guy friends, I'm a slut.
If I stand up for myself, I'm mouthy.
Seems like you can't do anything now a days without being labeled.
So what, go ahead and label me, see if I give a crap.
I'm Proud of who I am!

May's cooking adventure

Plain Cream Cheese Cheesecake Recipe

Make the Crust
Cheesecakes are baked in a springform pan. This is a special pan in which the circular side can be removed from the base. Grease the sides and bottom of your springform pan with butter. For a plain cheesecake, a crumb crust is traditionally used. Finely crush graham crackers, gingersnaps or shortbread cookies into crumbs until you have 1 ½ cups of cookie crumbs. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, melt 5 tbsp. butter. Combine the cookie crumbs with the butter and add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/8 tsp. of salt. Mix thoroughly, then press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Make the Cheesecake
Preheat your oven to 300 F. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 lb. of softened cream cheese with 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar. With a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and the sugar on a low speed until the sugar is combined. While mixing, add 1 tbsp. vanilla extract and the juice of half a lemon. Mix thoroughly. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating each egg into the mixture before adding the next one. Continue to beat until the cream cheese mixture is smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared pan with the crust and bake for 65 to 70 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is not completely firm.
Many cheesecakes have a tangy layer of sour cream added after the cake is baked to compliment the creamy richness of the cream cheese. Combine 2 cups of sour cream with ¼ cup of sugar. Mix thoroughly, then add 1 tsp. of vanilla. Beat the sour cream mixture until the vanilla is incorporated. Immediately pour the sour cream topping over the cheesecake when you remove it from the oven. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and chill overnight, until the cake has completely set and cooled.

Toppings
Choose a topping to complement your cheesecake. Fresh berries, strawberries, raspberries or blueberries work well with the creamy texture and will bring out the tangy sour cream and lemony notes. For a decadent dessert, melt ½ cup of semisweet chocolate in the microwave. Drizzle the chocolate over the cake. Warm up ¼ cup of caramel topping in the microwave and drizzle this across the cake in the opposite direction of the chocolate strips. Sprinkle the cake with chopped pecans and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving to allow the chocolate and caramel to harden.

Read more: Plain Cream Cheese Cheesecake Recipe eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/way_5262372_plain-cream-cheese-cheesecake-recipe.html#ixzz1LpBqGFmy

Tangled

Tangled is the cutest movie! The sarcasm is brilliant! Totally two thumbs up! When while watching the movie though, it got me thinking. What is my dream?
My ultimate dream was to work at Disneyland. That is already done, now what?
I believe my dream/dreams became into more of a list of the things I want to do before I die. Already went to Hawaii, already went in a shark cage....
The more I started thinking about it, the more it gravitate towards Graceland and Prince Edward Island.
My dream became clear. My dream is to visit Graceland and Prince Edward Island. Why you might ask?
Welllll....
I'm a Hugh, Hugh, Hugh, Hugh Elvis fan. I want to visit his house on the anniversary of his death. I want to be there with the millions upon millions of fans that do the silent walk tour on that night.
Prince Edward Island because I grew up with Anne of green gables. I want to be on the Island, and visit THE LAKE OF SHINING WATERS....
I also want to see many things on the island.
Heres dreaming...

May day! May day!