Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out:            Easy Southwest Chicken Casserole !!! (1). Skinless Chicken breast or boiled chicken pieces,cut into smaller pieces. Boil ...

Just Speaking Out

           Easy Southwest Chicken Casserole !!!

(1). Skinless Chicken breast or boiled chicken pieces,cut into smaller pieces. Boil the chicken until done or grill with marinade and slice into pieces. (2). A package of Uncle Ben's microwavable Spanish Rice. (3) A Frozen package of Birds Eye or generic Southwestern steamed vegetables which includes diced red bell peppers, corn, and black beans, these packages are also usually microwaveable. (4). Optional one small can, or fresh green chilies. (5). Velveeta cheese, also the type of cheese in the recipe is optional. Using about six to 8 ounces of cheese and approximately about a 1/2 to a 1/3 cup of milk stirring them together slowly to make a cheese sauce.(6).This is optional, Add about half a teaspoon of red crushed pepper and ground black pepper and a little salt for seasoning. Mix rice, chicken,cheese sauce, and vegetables in a casserole dish or baking dish all together.Lightly grease the dish with olive oil, or even just a light amount of margarine. 

   Place in oven on about 300 degrees until the top is  a light brown. Remember everything is already precooked so at most, it usually only takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Slice and garnish with a fresh tomato on top of the casserole ,then also add a little fresh parsley for the garnish and this also creates eye appeal. Taste and looks like it took hours to make. 

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out: Homemade Potato Salad

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out: Homemade Potato Salad:     The Potato Salad Recipe that my family, and friends,  have asked for many years to have. 1.Potato's 8 to 12 2.Onion about a quar...

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out:         Folk Art and The Doll Maker.                 History  in the making.        The stories written about the Folk Art Dolls...

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out:         Folk Art and The Doll Maker.                 History  in the making.        The stories written about the Folk Art Dolls...

Just Speaking Out

        Folk Art and The Doll Maker.

                History  in the making.

      The stories written about the Folk Art Dolls and their making is extensive. The blogs and magazines are read by many all around the world. The apparel appears as it must of been made over hundreds of years ago. The bonnet, the bib, the brooch the dress. The detail in this doll is absolutely uncanny. Eyebrows, rose colored cheeks, the hands and arms made of a soft cloth. Everything on the doll is absolutely made by hand. The only exception to this is the brooch. 

     The maker of this doll hand signs each every one of her dolls. The interesting twist to this story, as I was browsing an antique store in Southern California, and picked up a doll similar to the one in the photo, the doll had been retrieved from an estate sale is what the owner had mentioned. After looking at the price tag I quickly changed my mind $23,000 was a little extreme for my wallet alone. The doll was an original Issana Walker doll. The art of doll making is time consuming, the photo is from "Plain & Simple Blog", who will make a doll for someone at a much smaller price than $23,000. The interesting concept here is that the doll is not made over night, and can be customized especially for each customer.  The dolls really are a very decorative piece of history, or make a great gift at Christmas for a child, and or a collector. The artist of this doll  also has done custom pieces of Folk Art for Halloween, and many other occasions. Folk Art really has become more recognized in recent years through out a variety of different  magazines.This really does leave a person wondering if that in fifty, to a hundred years whether or not this doll will sell for $23,000 or more. The doll makers blog also includes many other links to a variety of doll makers and artist.

    

    

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out: Homemade Potato Salad

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out: Homemade Potato Salad:     The Potato Salad Recipe that my family, and friends,  have asked for many years to have. 1.Potato's 8 to 12 2.Onion about a quar...

Just Speaking Out: Homemade Potato Salad

    The Potato Salad Recipe that my family, and friends,  have asked for many years to have.

1. 1.Potato's 8 to 12
2. 2.Onion about a quarter of a small white or yellow onion.
3. 3. Mayonnaise, or Miracle Whip, Lite or full flavor. About 8-10 tablespoons.
4. Kosher Dill Pickles, about 5 depending on whether your guest like them, or depends on personal taste.
5. Half a dozen peeled and sliced hard Boiled eggs.
6. (1)  A small jar of pimentos. 7. A half teaspoon of horseradish this is optional. 8. At least 2  tablespoons of white pepper. 10. About 3 tablespoons of ground fresh dill. 11. Mustard 4 tablespoons of any type that you chose, although I do not suggest honey mustard. 11. A small finely diced garlic glove. 12. And about 2 teaspoons of paprika. 13. Garlic Salt (optional). 14. Bacon (optional).

             Wash the potatoes then boil them with the skin intact, after the potatoes are fully boiled,  rinse them, set them in the refrigerator for about an hour and pull the skin off. Run them under cold running water while doing this.  Slice the hard boiled eggs and potatoes.  Mix them together in a large bowl. Dice the pickles and place them in with the potatoes and eggs, chop the onion and add these in also. 

          Next add about 8 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Then add about 4 tablespoons of mustard more or less depending on the taste buds. Should the consistency of the mixture look or seem a bit dry, add a little bit of the juice from the pickles, not to much though it will make it to thin! Add the garlic and white pepper, you can also use ground or regular black pepper. Then add the pimentos, the garlic salt also adds just a little more flavor.  Sometimes adding about about 2 teaspoons of garlic salt. Mix all of it really well together in the large bowl.  Sprinkle a little paprika on the top and a little of the fresh dill for the garnish look . 

      Personally, I like the little zest that the horseradish adds.  Occasionally, I will add a piece or two of fully cooked bacon, crumble it into the potato salad after it has cooled. One little key secret to making a good potato salad is to cook the potato's so they are very soft, and fully cooked. This makes  the potato salad easier to mix and a little more moist to eat. Cool the potato salad covered in refrigerator for about an hour, or two. Then once it has cooled completely, it is ready to eat.

     

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out: Happy Healthy Cat!!!  The Cat in the Photo is one of my Pets.            I had just waked in the door, and I know I filled his di...

Just Speaking Out

Happy Healthy Cat!!! The Cat in the Photo is one of my Pets.

     

     I had just waked in the door, and I know I filled his dish before I left. I had not taken the bag to the trash on my errand.

     Apparently he thought he was out of his food. Something told me just grab this photo with my cell phone as I walked in the door. 

     He is very fond of his toys, notice the little mouse, between his front paws and of course it shows his cat chow bag, that he has obviously drug across the house. I guess he was trying let me know he catches mice, or something when he thinks he is out of food. 

     He, looks like he is mad for some reason! He weighs about a good 23 lbs or more and is extremely healthy. The funny thing is when he was just a kitten, he had a much smaller bowl, for his chow, and he would wake me up in the middle of the night dragging his bowl across the floor when it was empty, or he would come nibble on my nose until I would I get up and refill it. The best solution I found, to enable me to get a good nights rest without him making a lot of noise, was an automatic feeder.

     I just thought I would share this photo, it makes me wonder what all he gets into, or does, when I am not home. This photo makes him look guilty of something for sure.

    

Just Speaking Out

 Solar Lights, in an interesting Placement when Soil is just not readily available. 

     Deciding on the way to place the solar lights in a fashion to light up the vegetable's and flowers, on this deck without soil to place them in. 

    Finding these little baskets at a local Dollar store and of course for a dollar, I bought several. The flowers were on clearance at one of the local retailers for about I believe 64 cents. Perennials are seldom found for that price, and the solar light were also under a dollar, and of course this depends on what size solar light some one is going to chose, the prices vary a little .Then just add a little bit of potting soil. 

    This little planter averaged about $2.80 with the plant, the light, the basket, and soil. I always can decorate the basket to my taste.  I also placed a small hole in the bottom of the basket for drainage, this also has worked well. The idea definitely illuminates the deck, while I am enjoying the cooler evenings outside. The type of flower, or plant is the gardener's choice, also these little baskets come in many colors, and sizes. A quick and easy way to place those unused solar lights, where there is a lack of soil present.

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out:                 " The Conclusion to the Pet Peeve"       The dog in the photo was not included in the massive numbers of dogs at the co...

Just Speaking Out

               "The Conclusion to the Pet Peeve"


     The dog in the photo was not included in the massive numbers of dogs at the convenience store. The dog in the photo is a Continental Bull Dog. The women with her companion dog did make it in eventually, and apparently it is not legal to leave animals unattended out side a store. The owners all received a warning that the dogs were creating an impairment for the women, who had with her, the seeing eye dog companion.
    The moral to this story is not to take your dog to the store or in it. There are health codes in place for stores and humans, unless it is a companion assisted dog or animal.
   The pet owner who loves their pet should not place the pet in the heat of a car or in harms way. The dogs safety and that of the public should also become a forethought, not an afterthought before taking the dog out without a proper leash or collar.

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out: A Dog Looking so calm and Serene and Pet Peeves.      The dog often is considered mans best friend and is almost always part of some...

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out: A Dog Looking so calm and Serene and Pet Peeves.      The dog often is considered mans best friend and is almost always part of some...

Just Speaking Out

A Dog Looking so calm and Serene and Pet Peeves.

     The dog often is considered mans best friend and is almost always part of some ones family.

      

    My pet peeve is with pet owners who tie their dogs up at the local the convenience store. Not just one person but I counted six and a Boa, and yes a snake was brought there also. The dog in the photograph is cute as can be, and I am a pet owner myself. 

   The woman who came to the store with dog number 7 with her companion seeing eye dog had to hold her dog and could not enter for over a half hour. A week prior I had watched a dog break free from its leash, in front of the same store, and run into traffic at 7.30 a.m. in the morning rush hour traffic the dog did not survive crossing the street.

    The owner of a pet is responsible for the pet and the pets actions, if a child or person is bit, the owner is sued and hopefully for the person, that there are not severe injuries. A stranger can often affect an animal in a different way, no matter how well the dog is trained. The temperatures are hot right now, and the dog is left outside in a bed of a hot truck, or on a hot sidewalk, the hot pavement, or inside a car with out food and water. When a pet is loved, the owner is responsible, and the pet fully knows. 

   Please remember animal shelters are full, and it is not always best to tie your dog up outside a store, when a disabled person with their companion dog can not even enter the store,or someone can become bitten, or even leave them to get lose and run into traffic. The store is not the local dog park and I am sure there are laws about taking a Boa inside. Just because you love your pet, and believe me I love mine too, does not mean every one else does or that your pet will like them.

  

   So try not peeve your pet and show the animal the same love and respect it gives you.

    

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out:              Graduation 2012. The joy and the feeling of a tremendous accomplishment.                                    The Graduation fr...

Just Speaking Out

             Graduation 2012. The joy and the feeling of a tremendous accomplishment.
                                   The Graduation from one small step to the next.
                                                                                                          

     I really enjoyed the learning so much in the last couple of years, I decided to go even farther. I really had not ever mentioned, in any of my blogs that I was attending college, the last couple of years, it was one of the greatest experience's in life .I graduated this last June with the Associates of the Arts in the Foundation of Business, shortened it is called an (AAFB). I did a lot of research before hand, and then " I thought well why not," I am so glad I did. I now will always have that education to use, or apply in what ever endeavors I chose. Never, let anyone discourage further education because of age, race, or gender, or income, great minds have no race, age, gender or income they develop. . 

    To all those who graduated from the University of Phoenix this year. Yeah, we did it!!! And a great big thank you to my enrollment counselor in Meridian, Idaho for the encouragement. The instructors, you know who you are, I tried to make sure I told you all thank you, they do really go above and beyond and inspire greatness when they can. To the financial aid counselor, who answered my every question ever asked, even after graduation. A Big Thank You.

     "To those learning, or wanting an education, the path we take today will definitely lead to the right choices that are needed for the future, and a really good education helps everyone to make the best choice.  Knowledge is always the right way to make a tough decision, knowledge will also help the future generations to come, succeed.

     The University of Phoenix was my individual choice, and I loved it. However, there are many other colleges available, DeVry University, ITT, the local community college.. Many colleges now offer online or traditional,  my suggestion is to do the research and then decide.

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out

Speaking Out: Just Speaking Out:     A Summer Favorite, the Parfait.       There are so many recipes for the parfait that I decided to share my own personal favorit...

Just Speaking Out

   

A Summer Favorite, the Parfait.

      There are so many recipes for the parfait that I decided to share my own personal favorite, and the one I created of my own design. Of course a parfait in the summer can really hit the spot for a semi light desert. I decided to take the strawberries from my indoor outdoor garden and include them in one of my favorite's. 

    A fairly decent size of Vanilla Yogurt just in case you are going to make more than one parfait. One whole ripe banana, slice the banana. I really like using fresh black berries, about a 1/4 of a pound depending on how many you will want to use, about 15 large strawberries, then slice. The black berries are easier to just include whole. I take about 2 table spoons of vanilla yogurt. I prefer to use the low fat yogurt, because I decided to lose a pound or two. Take the yogurt place it in the bottom of the parfait glass, next place a layer of fruit that includes the banana, the strawberries, the black berries. And of course always wash your produce or fruit off before using. 

   Then repeat the process until parfait glass is to the top. I slice a strawberry arrange it in a flower shape on top of the parfait add two mint leafs and I place a very small amount of whip cream on the parfait, and I add a fresh black berry to the garnish.  Sprinkle the top with either maple granola or a light layer of crushed grape nuts cereal. 

Speaking Out: Potted organic plants

Speaking Out: Potted organic plants:        The organic food that grows has a totally different appeal and taste to the pallet, than that of the produce the average consumer p...

Potted organic plants

      The organic food that grows has a totally different appeal and taste to the pallet, than that of the produce the average consumer purchase's in the grocery store.

        The lack of garden space and  faced with the problem of growing my own produce year around I resolved the problem quickly. The prices will be much higher this fall due to the apparent lack of rain, and the cooler temperatures not in sight until at least next month. 

         

       I decided to purchase the planters and the organic potting soil, a month  ago and of course the plants, and give it a go to avoid that nasty taste that it seems almost all produce has now. The tomatoes I have already begun harvesting several from the plant,  the red and yellow bell peppers, jalapenos, and of course strawberries,  are all free of that waxy taste, that the produce from the grocery store has even after their washed off.

       The ever increasing price of produce through out the winter months made it increasingly simple, and almost necessary to keep growing them through out the winter months. The only thing I do is add a little water, take them in and out to drain. Sit them on a stand in front of a window and I have fresh vegetables through out the entire year. Should they need fertilizer, just add a miracle grow spike and the plants are now feed. 

       I could of easily planted flowers in these planters, but so far this is an indoor, outdoor vegetable planter. This will cut down on the produce bill and is much healthier and better tasting. Especially for someone who cooks a lot and knows the importance of organic foods.