The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

catmom46

catmom46

Well-Known Member
betty rose said:
Hi guys, I'm on late....I got another boo boo in the kitchen, got a deep cut on my thumb. right hand.. time for me to go to tv dinners! this is the third bandaid I've gone through. Mr. Bet is posting while she is sitting in front of the tree.
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Ouchie! I think you need to stay away from the knives. Either that or wear thick gloves while slicing. I hope the bleeding finally stopped!
 
englanddg

englanddg

One Little Spark...
Thought I'd give you all an easy X-mas recipe.

Monkey Bread

Quick and dirty, and awesome with Gingerbread French Press Coffee (which I'll include as a later recipe)

Ingredients
3 12 oz tins of Buttermilk Biscuits (I wanted Pillsbury, but couldn't find them in that size, so I got Publix Brand...first time using Publix Brand, but they turned out just fine for this! I like the 12 oz cans for reasons related later, but you can use the larger ones if you prefer Pillsbury brand (understandable))
1 cup of sugar
3 tsp of ground cinnamon
1 cup of dark brown sugar
1/2 cup of margarine (unsalted butter is fine, but I actually think margarine works better for this, I've tried it with both)
1 bag (1 cup) of crushed pecans (optional)
1 bag (1 cup) of crushed walnuts (optional)
6 boxes (however much that is after nibbling some) of snack size sunmaid raisins, approx 1 cup)
1/2 box of Butterscotch Pudding Mix (the cook and serve powder kind)

Step 1) Preheat the oven to 350. Chop or crush the nuts into smaller pieces.


Step 2) Spray a bundt pan down with nonstick cooking spray or rub with butter flavour crisco.

Step 3) Sprinkle some of the crushed pecans in the pan. Then some raisins. Then some walnuts. Then sprinkle evenly with butterscotch pudding mix.


Step 4) Mix the cinnamon and sugar into a container, and add the biscuits. This is one of the reasons why I like the 12 oz container size. The biscuits are the perfect size for this, so you can just separate them as you normally would. Shake and sprinkle the sugar onto the biscuits to coat.




Step 5) Arrange the biscuits, slightly overlapping, but still with gaps, in a layer.


Step 6) Repeat step 3, creating another layer of nuts, raisins and pudding mix.


Step 7) Repeat Step 4 and 5, creating another layer of biscuits. Push any remaining biscuits into place, but don't close all the gaps.


Step 8) Sprinkle any remaining raisins and nuts, as well as another sprinkling of butterscotch pudding mix on the base.


Step 9) In a saucepan, melt the brown sugar and butter together over medium heat, stirring often and breaking up any clumps. After it comes together, allow it boil for a minute or so. Then stir again to recombine and pour it evenly into the pan.








Step 10) Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.

Step 11) Remove from the oven, then let it stand for at least 10 - 15 minutes to cool.


Step 12) Turn it out onto a serving dish.


Step 13) Serve. You can sprinkle some powdered sugar on top to make it all "fancy" if you like, but there's really no need! Also, no need to cut, the bread pulls apart as smaller biscuits and is made to be eaten with serving forks, or if a big happy family, fingers!

(side note...if it falls apart, specifically the top layer...as you shake it gently out of the pan onto the plate, that's fine. Just turn the pan back over, stay calm, and use a spoon to pry out the pieces and put it back together. There will be enough nut/caramel combo to hide any spots. Mine often fall apart...with the top layer liking to stay in the pan in pieces, including this one...can you tell?)







DEVOUR!
 
englanddg

englanddg

One Little Spark...
Gingerbread Coffee

Ingredients
Per 20 oz...
3 tbls fresh ground coffee, coarse grind, whatever blend you prefer (I like dark and strong)
1/2 tsp nutmeg (fresh ground if you can)
3/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbls molasses
Water (boiling)
Warm frothed milk (optional, whipped cream also is nice)
Cinnamon Stick (for garnish, optional)
Sugar (to taste, I like mine without sugar if having it with the Monkey Bread or something that cloyingly sweet)

Step 1) Add all of the ingredients except the milk, water, and sugar to a press pot. Stir to combine.




Step 2) Boil the water, and add it. Stir with a knife and allow to brew for 4 - 5 minutes.




Step 3) While it's brewing, heat some whole milk or cream over medium to medium high heat, and whisk it into a froth.


Step 4) Press and pour the coffee, add a bit of milk (to taste) and top with froth (and ground cinnamon, cinnamon stick, whatever garnish you like)

Step 5) Serve and DEVOUR!
 
catmom46

catmom46

Well-Known Member
So DD and I went to check out this event at the Queen Mary called CHILL. It wasn't quite what I expected, but still good fun. One of the main attractions is The Ice Kingdom, which consists of ice sculptures depicting A Christmas Carol. Here are some pics (before we first entered we were told that with a temperature 9 degrees inside it would be possible for the glass on our cameras to crack. I was almost afraid to enter after hearing that!)

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Mr Ferret 75

Mr Ferret 75

Thank you sir. You were an inspiration.
Premium Member
Goofyernmost said:
Day 19 of the Adventure.... November 7, (Saturday).. Port of Call - Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

It's finally come down to your lucky day. This will be the final installment of the Excellent Adventure and will combine the last days in this one post. First of all, I had never heard of Tenerife, but, I had heard of the Canary Islands. This was our last port of call before pointing west and heading across the Atlantic for Fort Lauderdale. Tenerife as you will see is a jagged out crop of past volcanic activity that now houses a tourist destination. The little town at the port, is quaint and very European and, might I add hilly. We did our, as of late, usual, let's go ashore and check it out and then come back in and eat from the buffet. I really didn't know what might be there on the island to see. I heard later that it was a golfing destination, but, it must have been further inland because, as you'll see, what is visible at the shoreline, would be tough to play golf on in my mind. Anyway here are some pictures taken that morning.

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Day 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 of the Adventure.... November 8 thru 14, Trans-Atlantic Cruise
With the exception of the exact pinpoint location all the Atlantic looks the same. Fill a bathtub with water and just look at it. It doesn't change all that much and neither does the ocean. We were very fortunate, supported by statements from the Captain, to have had absolutely beautiful weather the entire cruise. Sunshine, warm air, very calm seas and plenty to do on the ship. Gambling, swimming, hot tubs, food, nightly stage shows, daily trivia contests, lectures about many things of interest. The two that I focused in on were on Hollywood and on the insiders view of the White House. The latter was given by a lady that was the coordinator of social events during the Clinton administration. It was clear that she was hoping that Hillary would be elected because I think she whats that job back again. Anyway, there is never a lack of things to do if you want to spend yourself into the poor house. I shouldn't have put it that way, it should have read, capable of making you spend your way to the poor house. Just about everything that I did, did not require any additional outlay of cash other then use of the WiFi, which was iffy at best. So, I think I already posted the following picture that I took from the 10th floor (deck) down to the atrium below. It is one of two that I took on the ship. My sister took many more, but, I don't currently have access to them. So here it is...

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Day 27 of the Adventure.... November 15, (Sunday).. Port of Call... Fort Lauderdale and Home

One last picture taken just before we moved into Port. Since I started the cruise with a sunset, I felt it only appropriate to end it with a sunrise.
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Except it wasn't done yet. The cruise was but we still had hours to kill before I could catch my plane to Raleigh and my sister to Vermont. So we opted for one last excursion and that was an Air boat ride in the Everglades. After clearing customs, collecting our bags, etc., we boarded a bus that took us to a state park location just outside of Fort Lauderdale. There isn't really a lot of change when riding around on the top of water with the exception of one sighting. It was a fun diversion and time killer and ending to an incredible trip. I thank all of you for consistently seeming interested in seeing this stuff. And I hope that all of you get to do something like this for yourselves, if you haven't already. Just to give you an idea of the cost, this was almost an entire month of traveling abroad. The only place where all expenses, of necessity, were included was the cruise. It cost me just a little over $4K including insurance, everything. Double that for two people, but, still... just think of how much people spend on a weeks trip to WDW.

If you look toward the left of the boat, just ahead you will see a Gator almost the length of the boat.
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Thanks for your patience while I put this together.

The End
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Thanks for taking us along. Making our Norway cruise next year look even better.
 

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