your daily quote

Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-gumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before

Shel Silverstein

baby it's cold outside (food edition)

If it's cold where you are I highly recommend these recipes. We had them both for dinner and they were delicious and filling!

Potatoes, Bacon and Brussels Sprouts




Loaded Baked Potato Soup



(photo and recipe cred to How Sweet It Is)

i have a girl crush

While surfing the 'net (do people still say that?) I came across this incredible blog!

The Life & Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson

I thought of so many people that I wanted to send it to so I decided to post about it. She's hilarious, blunt, and to the point...I mean the tag line of her blog is "sorry I'm not sorry". Of course I immediately fell in love with her! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have (and I've only been reading it for 30 minutes or so)!

black and yellow

Tonight I came home and after saying the obligatory "hey" John says, "question. (long pause here)...why were we not in this?"...



Then he explains to me that this was a #1 song on the Billboard Rap & Hip Hop chart. I didn't believe him. Then he showed me this as proof. Then he explains how all of the places shown are either near us or located on his normal running route. His bitterness about not being asked to be in the video was evident. This just in: he was just singing the "black and yellow black and yellow" part. I'm kinda speechless.

blueberry-lemon muffins

I get on these kicks where I crave/need certain things. For the past month(s) its been a muffin in the morning for breakfast. I like to try different healthy recipes so I don't get bored with a certain muffin and I'm always up for trying something new. I really like this recipe and apparently it's a fave of the hubs, seeing as he's eaten most of them. So here's this week's muffin:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl. Stir in blueberries; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, butter, rind, and egg; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 164

Fat: 4g

Protein: 3.5g

(recipe and photo cred to...you guessed it, cookinglight.com)

white turkey chili

I made this recipe this past weekend and it was soooo good! Very filling and great for snowy/cold weather!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon stick margarine or butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups chopped cooked turkey (about 15 ounces)
• 2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, drained and divided
• 2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Melt the margarine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through garlic), and sauté 5 minutes. Add turkey, 1 1/2 cups beans, broth, and next 6 ingredients (broth through black pepper), and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Mash remaining beans. Add mashed beans and milk to the turkey mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Stir in chopped cilantro.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 217

Fat: 4.6g

Protein: 19.6g

(recipe and photo cred to cookinglight.com)

another good cause

Now ya'll know I love good causes and am so thankful for all of the people who contribute to the bettering of this world. With that said, I came across this article in my most recent Marie Claire and was appalled at first, then thankful that someone is doing something about it.

Also, feel free to check out the Afghan Women's Justice Project website here. And they have these really cute shirts that you can buy. One t-shirt purchase contributes enough money for 10 prisoners' school supplies or a month's supply of milk for a child. That's pretty awesome.

your daily quote

Life can be lived out drip by monotonous drip if that's the way you want it. Or you can bubble and exude joyous excitement like water in a teapot. Most people drip. But the few who perk make the world extraordinarily beautiful and exciting for all of us.

excerpt from Make My Day, a daily devotional

ally signing "tik tok"

ally signing "lucky"

this gal is awesome!

As many of you know I am extremely intrigued by Deaf culture and sign language in general. Now here is a spectacular person...watch this clip about her as "Person of the Week" on ABC news. Then plllease watch these videos, I'm seriously amazed by her.





cred to my sister for telling me about this, thanks girl!

true blood

If you're into vampires, shape shifters and all that other crazy stuff (and I am) then you would totally looove this show! However, here is a warning: it's very sexual (it's an HBO show, duh) and has a lot of swearing. If you can look past that (sometimes I have to turn away from the screen) then you would really, really like it!! Let's just say I borrowed the first season from my neighbor and began watching it on Thursday. I just finished about 20 minutes ago. Ridiculous, I know. And yes, I'm well aware that I need a life and I have a problem with entire seasons of shows on DVD begging for me to watch them all at once. Admitting is the first step, right?

your daily (marilyn) quote

Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world.

Marilyn Monroe

Today's quote was inspired by the Marilyn Monroe: Life as a Legend exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum. I was lucky enough to be able to go on its last day in Pittsburgh with my friend Pallas. We loved the exhibit! I mean Marilyn's beauty was just exemplified by the exhibit. I've always known she was gorgeous but it was incredible to see her in various photographs and paintings as well as a variety of artist's interpretations of her. She exuded grace, beauty and sexuality. Very classic.

Here are a few of my faves:













(photo cred to google search and their respective photographers/artists...i take no credit for these photos)

a couple postcards

Sometimes when I read PostSecret I scroll through the postcards and don't feel connected to any of the people or really have a reaction to what they have to say. Today there were a few that touched me so I thought I would share them with you.


When I read this one my heart literally felt hollow. I felt like it gave me a little punch in the stomach. It scared me and I was touched by the sentiment all at the same time. A plus, the author chose the Golden Girls for their postcard.


This one made me smile and it makes me very happy to know that there are people out there that do sweet, small acts of kindness like this.

green chile-chicken casserole

I made this last weekend and it was awesome! Although, if you are making it for two you may want to half the recipe or you may be eating leftovers for a loooong time. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup canned chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup fat-free sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup, undiluted
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Cooking spray
• 24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Spread 1 cup soup mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6 tortillas over the soup mixture, and top with 1 cup chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 335

Fat: 10.8g

Protein: 23.9g

(photo and recipe cred to cookinglight.com)

i dig this article

What I want You to Know is a section of Rage Against the Minivan where she asks readers to submit their stories. The stories cover a huge spectrum of life experiences. I've actually read almost all of them and they are very enlightening. I highly suggest you take a look if you have some spare time. But I really liked this article (posted today) and thought I would share:

what i want you to know: being a conservative

To all of my Democrat friends/readers don't just groan and keep looking somewhere else, this is actually a very well written article :) I love both parties and everything in between!

the life of a shut in

The day began with a temp of 8 degrees and has now doubled to 16. Yikes. This means that this gal ain't going nowhere. Except later I'm going shopping with my friend, but that's besides the point. Anyway, I thought I would enlighten ya'll as to what's been going on in this house today. Maybe they only seem like noteworthy statements because the cabin fever is setting in.

Today I:
1. Received a jury summons. Ughhhhh. But only if they find me suitable, and let's hope that they don't. Also, it's not until March but it still sucks.
2. Washed about every dang pot and pan in my kitchen. Along with plates, bowls and utensils. Let's just say the dishes were getting out of control and they needed to be taken care of.
3. Washed a trash can. That's right. I never thought I would say that. But we're using our old trashcan to store Dixie's food and that thing was nasty. I'm kind of proud of myself right now, and kinda disgusted.
4. Lysoled everything that has been touched in this house. I guess I became a little neurotic after the dishes and trashcan cleaning. I just decided that everything must be disinfected.
5. Watched/watching True Blood. I'm obsessed and already on episode 8. I started watching on Thursday. This is out of control.

ya'll should check this out...like now

So my cousin Abby and I have decided to collaborate and create a blog dedicated to all things fabulous. You can check out our daily finds of fabulousity (yes, it's totally a word) here: iluhdis

Enjoy!

an echo in the darkness

I cried, I squealed, I was captivated by every page. Words can't express how much I adored this book and it has even furthered my adoration of Francine Rivers. Man, can that woman write a book! Seriously, it's wonderful. I'm a little mad at myself for taking so long to getting around to reading this series. I had many dear friends in college that read it and loved it and here I am a few years later finally reading it. I highly, highly, highly recommend it! Go, go ahead and get a copy of your own! This was the second book in a three book series, so get ready for another review in like a week or so (depending on how little of a social life I have).

your daily quote (or inspiration, whichever you wish)

Oh Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works
Thy Hand hath made
I see the stars
I hear the mighty thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed...

...Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

(lyrics Carl Boberg)

your (in memory of MLK) quote

When I had to memorize this speech in 8th grade I had no idea how incredibly radical it was. In memory of an incredible man, Martin Luther King Jr.

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."...

...When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

black swan

Phenomenal. Dark. Haunting. Beautiful and creepy. Gut wrenching. Psychological thriller. Makes you think. Wonderful acting and dancing. Captivating. Natalie Portman of course did a phenomenal job, as always. I think her wide range of acting ability was displayed in this film. Also, Mila Kunis is stinking wonderful. She's gorgeous and did an incredible job in her role. I highly recommend this movie. It's a film that will stick with you and haunt you for hours after its over. But not in a bad way. Go see it, it's wonderful!

your daily quote

I've learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness
or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.

Martha Washington

(thanks Mom!)

your daily quote

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
what a wonderful world.

Louis Armstrong

toy story 3

Funny. Precious. Nostalgic. Very Nostalgic. Refreshing. So glad we chose to watch this last night. I highly recommend it, there's no reason not to watch it. Good for kids and adults. Love it.

things that make you go ooooh pt.2

Brie.

I always knew I loved brie but man do I loooooove brie. We bought some tonight and I baked it a bit then added some homemade preserves (a la my in laws) and slap that stuff on a cracker and oh my gooooodness! It is some kinda good. Let's just say I shamelessly scooped some with my fingers as I was putting it tupperware in the fridge. Oops.

Also, we made a pizza and used Boboli whole wheat crust...that was the best homemade pizza we've had yet! Definitely recommend the whole wheat crust, mmm. And I've officially named John the pizza maker in this household because his was far better than any I've made. I think he's found his calling. Also, we won't mention the large amount of cheese that was on it that only added to its tastiness and calories.

sweet pea

this song is precious. just precious.



Oh yeah, for all those Univ. of South Carolina grads out there...Amos Lee graduated from there with an English degree. Found that out while I was creepin on him, thanks wikipedia.

your daily (snow) quote

The snow itself is lonely or, if you prefer, self-sufficient. There is no other time when the whole world seems composed of one thing and one thing only.

Joseph Wood Krutch

ouch.

Do you care if I complain? Don't mind if I do. I would like to write a letter to the Department of Wintery Side Effects. No, this has nothing to do with snow. Or wind chills of 0 degrees. Or slushy nasty roads. Or ridiculous heat bills. It has everything to do with this dang cold weather outside and dry heat inside. Mixed with washing my hands and apparently not lube-ing up my hands every two seconds has all resulted in multiple split cuticles. I know you're like "oh my gosh, she's such a baby". But have you ever had a split cuticle?! I just counted and I have at least 7! 7! Even as I type this it feels like a little knife is stabbing my finger with each stroke. I googled images of split cuticles so that you could have a point of reference, but let me tell you those things were nasty. At least mine aren't nasty. But they hurt! And anytime you touch anything that is not as bland as milk (i.e. fresh orange juice, salty foods, soap, disinfectant) it stings like the Dickens! I am not a happy girl right now. And to add to it, John claims to "not see anything" when I shove my fingers in his face. Grrr. If you have any solutions other than hand cream holla them out in the comments section, much love from my busted fingers.

your daily quote

I don't mind living in a man's world as long as I can be a woman in it.

the fabulous Marilyn Monroe


I thought this was quite a fitting quote due to the previous post.

in love times like a million

In case you're wondering "hey what should I get Jessi for her birthday?"...well, babe, I just found your answer. Oh and while you're at it, can you get me one foot stilts so that I can actually pull off any of these looks? Thanks!

All dresses are Monique Lhuillier Pre-Fall 2011. Thanks to prettylittlethings for bringing these incredible gowns to my attention.

the good stuff

Here are some good things that have come to my attention lately:

1. Paula Deen's Buttery Beer Bread mix in a box (love it, so mouth wateringly delicious!)
2. This newly discovered blog: rage against the minivan, she is freaking hilarious
3. Staying warm and cozy in my house when its stinkin cold outside
4. A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. I LOVE Francine Rivers' books and this only reaffirmed how incredible of an author she is! Seriously, I am captivated by this book, I don't want to do anything else but read it. Oh yeah, this is the first book in the Mark of the Lion series so I'm well into the second book as I type. Really I'm having to force myself to clean/cook/get other productive things done around this place. I highly, highly recommend this book, I've already thought of like 17 people I want to lend it to. Ok, enough already, Rivers is wonderful!



I have a hard time looking for words to describe the awesomeness of this book, but I found this review...she did a much better job than I.

this will be our year

love this song. very fitting for the beginning of a new year.

your daily quote

Never look down on someone unless you are helping them up.

Jesse Jackson

(thanks Em!)

your daily (in honor of my mom) quote

My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.

George Washington

happy birthday momma!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful mom! What a beautiful, incredible woman! Thanks Mom for all that you've done and for the woman that you are. I love you so much and hope you have a fabulous day!

your daily quote

No one has ever become poor by giving.

Anne Frank

baked greek chicken

I made this Rachael Ray recipe tonight and it was sooooo good! And definitely an easy dinner. I didn't take a pic, we ate it too quickly. Well we have leftovers but I'm sure they're not as pretty as the newly baked product...anyway, I digress...enjoy!

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic gloves, finely chopped
one 10-ounce box chopped spinach, thawed
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
3 tbsp. butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 2/3 of the garlic and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then add the spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Melt the butter in the same pan, turn off the heat and add the panko, oregano and remaining garlic, toss.

Drizzle a baking dish with the remaining olive oil. Split each chicken breast across (but not all the way through) and open like a book. Stuff with the spinach and feta, letting the stuffing overflow at the edges. Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until the juices run clear, about 20 minutes.

Note: I didn't use nutmeg, it just didn't sound good to me in this recipe. Also, I substituted "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" for the butter and couldn't tell the difference.

beautiful song

I've always loved this song, especially this version. It's so beautiful and peaceful. Enjoy :)

your daily quote

If you haven't noticed, I adore Shel Silverstein.

I will not play tug o' war. I'd rather play hug o'war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs. Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug. Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins.

Shel Silverstein

Aren't children's books just awesome? I think I forgot how wonderfully simple they are. They make me smile :)

cran-almond muffins

1 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. + 2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1/2 c. milk
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract (I used vanilla because I didn't have almond on hand)
1 2/3 c. whole cranberries
1 tbsp. butter, cut in 12 cubes
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. sliced almonds (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Mix first 5 ingredients. Whisk next 4 ingredients. Fold into flour mixture. Stir in cranberries. Put batter in muffin pan lined with 12 baking cups. Top with butter, 2 tsp. sugar, cinnamon and almonds. Bake until test done, about 22 minutes.

These are very easy to make and the perfect muffin for breakfast, so tasty!
(Recipe thanks to Prevention magazine.)

funny cause it's true

I just saw this commercial and literally laughed out loud. Not so much at the guy hitting a parked car but at the flippant GPS. If you are lazy and don't update your GPS (like us) then you can totally relate.

your daily quote

I am not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful.Marilyn Monroe




These are my new words to live by people. Drink it in.

self control

Today I went shopping at TJMaxx. I had one thing on my list and one thing only. It was a necessity. Let's just say it was an unmentionable. OK, so now you see how uneventful this trip should've been. BUT it's TJMaxx, which is one of my fave stores ever. And it's after Christmas. And they are hosting their "winter clearance mark down". Come on people, my heart started pounding just as I was walking through the door. So first I forced myself to go try on the old boring necessity. OK, good now that's over with and now the dressing room lady knows my bra size (great) and yes, I'm pretty sure she snickered...grrr. Then I walked directly to the shoes. Thank God they mostly had shoes I wouldn't touch with a 39 and a 1/2 foot pole...but there were these beautiful glittery Steve Maddens...I picked them up, looked at the price tag (hey, it's a habit), and promptly put them down. My mental conversation went something like this "you don't need these, you already have a million pairs of high heels, but they're so pretty and so...glittery, it's time to grow up you don't have to own everything that has glitter on it, but...but...but, but you're a nanny now and there is no way in the world that these shoes are practical for the job...or any job for that matter, but...but...but...glitter, put them down and walk away". Done and done. Now walking to the home clearance section. Like I need anything there. Luckily there wasn't anything begging me to buy it. Candles that make me want to throw up (Godiva now has a candle that is chocolate and rose smell...let me save you the gag...it smells some kinda nasty) that still cost $10 on clearance! OK, the rest of the trip goes like this: Christmas clearance, regular priced stationary, regular priced home goods, clearance dresses, knick knacks at the check out. It was like a mental tug of war championship. And I still only walked out with my necessary bra. Now that is what I call self control people!

your daily quote

Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia.

Charles Schulz

psalm 91

So this was read in church today and was the premise of the message. As you know, I'm not a fan of "kicking off a new year" but this passage made me feel fearless, like I can take on 2011! I know that it's quite long, but if you have the patience (and attention span) to read it then I hope you are inspired by it as well.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you
from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, "The LORD is my refuge,"
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91

PS- Our pastor commented that "You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and serpent" would make a BA tattoo. It made me laugh and I totally agree...if I was a guy I would most definitely get it, asap. Although, I don't think it would look that great on my petite frame.

easy peasy cornbread

I love this stuff, it's so easy and so delicious!

1 1/2 cups of cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup shortening (or bacon fat or cooking oil)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all ingredients, beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Pour into greased round cast iron skillet (or 8x8x2 in. square pan) and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Side note: If you don't have buttermilk on hand (I never do) you can substitute with 1 cup of regular milk mixed with 1 tbsp. of vinegar or lemon juice. Use this accordingly...i.e. for this particular recipe still use 1 1/2 cups of milk and about 1 1/2 tbsp. vinegar.

your daily quote

Listen to the mustnt'ts child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...Anything can happen child, anything can be.

Shel Silverstein

your new year's quote

"...but then I think about what a new year is - another year to make decisions, another year of good times and unfortunately some sad times, another year that after it is over with we will not have it again except in our memories. So, my quote would be to make those memories good ones and take comfort that no matter what happens this year that Hebrews 13:8 (Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever) applies to both Family and God."

-my wise father in law

Thanks for sending that to me Gary!