tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36351186710794841412011-10-30T10:28:28.621-04:00The adventures of a girl who likes to play with her foodLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.comBlogger591100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-24296102815243462642011-02-06T12:46:00.003-05:002011-02-06T13:08:49.453-05:00

Even though I've been blogging since 2008 I still feel a little funny when posting anything and am looking constantly at other blogs for tips and clues in composition and design.  Through reading through various blogs I have mentors that I've discovered and I really admire this lady, Ree Drummond, from The Pioneer Woman blog and recently read some new tips that I found to be helpful for my blog.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-46035230399705927852011-02-02T19:08:00.000-05:002011-02-02T19:08:45.694-05:00

I was going through my Facebook newsreel after work tonight and saw this idea.  Printable stickers for fruit!  What says I love you more than a healthy gift of (organic) fruit.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-33587347236069546152011-01-31T07:28:00.004-05:002011-01-31T09:15:57.440-05:00

I read about Soup and Bread on Blue Kitchen's blog.  Soup and Bread offers soup every Wednesday in a local restaurant/coffee house by volunteers from all around the community.  It seems the average is 4-5 crockpots full of soup and they're served from 5pm until it's gone, about 2 1/2 hours later.  The soups and bread are free but it provides an opportunity for those who can donate to give towards

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-34855618424787004902010-07-28T07:47:00.002-04:002011-01-31T07:45:53.134-05:00

I just stumbled upon this and in a frantic hurry decided that I'd try to incorporate it into my blog (since I haven't had a post in a while). Currently I'm fascinated with sprouted EVERYTHING. I've been scouring a cookbook from work called Essential Eating A Cookbook by Janie Quinn and really feel it strikes a cord with me. I like what it has to say about eating for your body's true health and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-5869762401235398232010-06-09T08:01:00.004-04:002010-06-09T21:22:09.368-04:00

I didn't have to think too hard about this Wednesday's submission. In fact, this one was in the storage tanks to pull out for just this occasion. A few weeks ago I attended a Sustainable Cooking Cooking class taught by Sharon New-Bauckman.  In that class I learned the MOST SIMPLE thing to do....make cream cheese from yogurt.  It truly is fun to make (and soooo simple) and the possibilites are

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-81960114671028954172010-05-26T07:54:00.005-04:002010-06-09T21:23:55.560-04:00

So here it goes.  My participation in an online food "blog carnival" via Kelly the Kitchen Kop has begun.  Pretty fun since I have something to contribute and I'm not hurriedly rushing to find something in order to participate this week.  Thankfully, there's Dilly Beans!  They're my contribution to Real Food. Canning, well, I haven't canned in years and it all came back like riding a bike (which 

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-55060495248961791662010-05-18T09:10:00.010-04:002011-01-31T16:57:35.384-05:00

Sarah Collins, of Collins Creations, is one of the most enthusiastic young lady's I have met in a while. She has a heart of gold and the drive of Lance Armstrong. I met her at the Chestertown Farmers Market this past beautiful Saturday and bought one of her bracelets that she proudly made herself. What makes Sarah so special, and attracted my attention, was that she operates her stand to raise

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-87616218583786168122010-05-18T08:33:00.005-04:002010-05-18T09:40:11.968-04:00

It seems I never budget my time properly enough in order to keep up with this blog. Then there comes along something that really catches my attention and I want to go on the record and say something about it other than on Facebook.Dr. Mowry's Fresh Market on Kent Island offers the public fresh local food every Tuesday evening starting around 5-5:30pm and running until 7pm or so. I had the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-25618482236489235582010-03-18T08:17:00.003-04:002011-01-31T09:43:19.480-05:00

After reading this article, via Metrocurean blog, I immediately imagined the Birthday dinner scene from the movie Chocolat. The scene in which everyone is dining outside, under trees, with twinkly lights above, and seductively savoring each morsel.  Everyone is blissed out of their minds with good food which had been prepared carefully and lovingly. Sharing a table with good company and great

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-88441862086900168382010-03-08T17:00:00.006-05:002010-03-08T17:36:12.945-05:00

I haven't always been a big fan of Jamie Oliver. No specific reason in particular why I didn't care for him but I changed my mind after I watched this video. I really felt impressed by his drive and passion for what he believes in regard to food, children, and disease. Now an old favorite, Mark Bittman.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-87990781391332679292010-03-08T08:30:00.005-05:002010-03-08T10:16:39.933-05:00

I decided to play with my food during a past snowstorm. Since the natural food store where I work sells farm fresh local eggs I had an abundance of them in the fridge. I had seen a recipe that caught my attention from Lucullian Delights which was Fried Hard Boiled Eggs and thought it sounded crazy and tasty enough to try. They were delicious! Basically all one has to do is hard boil as many eggs

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-28449164039639080472009-12-17T16:02:00.015-05:002009-12-17T17:14:51.574-05:00

Man! I LOVE the warmer weather! When you live in Maryland you have winters but sometimes they're crappy winters. Some years there's actual snow. Some years it's the ice storm from hell. Other years we're blessed with a nice icy cold rain and mushy mud with a touch of salt spray to nicely coat the bottom of your car. Beautiful.My point. The hubby and I just got back from Southern Florida and the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-85510414574943238152009-12-04T15:18:00.014-05:002009-12-04T17:49:09.551-05:00

I wanted to post some snaps of this past summer (miss you so much) and other events. I've been a very lucky lucky girl these past months. From top to bottom: Flowering thyme, rubber ducky cupcake platter with cake pops, Ghetto Labor Day cookout, fried green tomatoes, penguin cupcake platter, sailing on the Chesapeake, steamed crabs.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-18150743374431603102009-03-20T15:43:00.006-04:002009-03-20T17:09:45.687-04:00

Today was my very first time I ordered anything from Rita's and I saved myself for the first day of Spring. I felt like a bride on her wedding day. Lisa, my sister-in-law, convinced me early this morning that today was the day to finally order from Rita's because they were giving away free Italian Ice in honor of the first day of Spring. So, we made plans to meet and travel to Chestertown to

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-8507732986405967952009-03-19T11:06:00.007-04:002011-01-31T09:39:41.969-05:00

Hurry Spring! The warm weather can't arrive fast enough for me. Last night I fired up the grill for the asparagus and London Broil I had bought at Safeway for dinner. Sure, grill your food but how do you "kick it up a notch", so to speak? Then I remembered a lunch I had with Bob at Applebee's (yes Applebee's) that served broccoli with a lime olive oil-ish sauce. I loved the taste of the lime

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-75209882767153133582009-03-18T10:05:00.005-04:002009-03-19T10:48:52.829-04:00

It's been nearly a month since I last posted anything and I'm feeling pretty lousy about it. It's not as though I haven't traveled anywhere, eaten anything, or fixed a meal because I'm guilty of all those things. I've been to Mexico, eaten at a GREAT restaurant with AWESOME hamburgers, and fixed a few meals that I'm proud of. Since I'm still lucky enough (haha) to still have a souvenir from

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-90597957232304118022009-02-20T07:43:00.010-05:002009-02-20T10:37:04.716-05:00

Do not. I repeat, do not put food on the stove before you get "distracted" with your significant other. In my defense I wasn't planning on getting distracted but it just sorta happened and as a result my WHOLE house stinks like burnt food now. I had an AWESOME skillet of lime butter green beans, broccoli, and mushrooms but it all was sacrificed to Vulcan the fire god during my inattentiveness.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-83236346891259180122009-02-13T09:16:00.004-05:002009-02-20T10:18:01.422-05:00

Bob and I discovered too late into the Winter season this unassuming local bar and eatery. Usually I've been cawing about Big Owls as a great place where Bob and I mingle and drink but No Place is our newest favorite place to wander to. No Place is a die-hard Steelers hive where the wonderful local gentry come to hang their hats and hide from the Winter cold and is located in historic old

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-74239674897465263602009-02-06T04:34:00.005-05:002009-03-24T11:06:01.726-04:00

I can picture Bob and I "later in life". Two old birds strolling the beach in the pre-dawn hours because they can't sleep. I was thinking "beach" and "warm" while sitting inside my cozy house and it's 19 degrees outside. The picture above is from our last trip to Hilton Head South Carolina, in the pre-dawn hours.So what to do early in the morning when there's no beach or warm temperatures to

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-4413396404457790732009-02-05T09:20:00.004-05:002009-03-24T10:51:42.709-04:00

Oh my gosh I'm dreaming of Spring. I love everything about Spring: hikes, planting new vegetables, sitting on my patio enjoying a glass of wine, wandering with my camera, the smell of farmer's plowing their fields....etc. These poor tomatoes above were from last season and I have a new lofty goal of having the BEST tomatoes this year. This includes really preparing the soil properly and having a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-47255640975173940242009-01-30T08:12:00.005-05:002009-01-30T08:58:38.910-05:00

I suppose the term "favorite" implies preferring one thing above all other items. I suppose, again, I have slaughtered the true meaning of yet another word. Well, I love a lot of things: potato chips, garlic, fresh herbs, tator tots (I'm starchy ehh?), Bearnaise sauce, most anything grilled, huge green salads (whew, there's something healthy), balsamic vinegar, chocolate, herbal teas, kittens,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-52177255907062096172009-01-29T18:25:00.009-05:002009-01-30T08:52:44.296-05:00

Soft doughy formed pretzels out of the prooferMy poor buddy Kevin arrived home from school today looking like all the cold viruses in the world had settled in his eyes. I couldn't believe the difference in him from this morning till he got home at 3 o'clock. Alright, he looked like shit to be honest. Both eyes were red and sunken and he sounded like he was speaking with his nose pinched. I was

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-91057131402639131522009-01-28T09:47:00.006-05:002009-01-28T20:34:48.035-05:00

It's cold here. VERY cold. We here in Maryland got some freezing rain last night on top of the snow we received the day before. I prefer the snow and can do without the frozen crust on top. I crunched through the front yard to get some pictures of our poor pine trees and froze my behind (ass) off. Kevin's restless and wants to break free from our comfy warm home to hang out with some friends and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-9759582053310312072009-01-27T13:32:00.011-05:002009-01-28T07:36:25.509-05:00

For some reason unknown to me I purchased chickpea flour in the organic section of the grocery store recently. I had no clue what to do with it until I started messing around on Recipezaar. I found a recipe for chickpea flour pizza and decided to monkey around with the ingredients. Chickpea flour on it's own tastes like crap. I seriously thought I had made a major mistake buying it. After it was

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-40111141028341626162008-12-29T13:04:00.006-05:002008-12-29T13:51:39.208-05:00

It's been a great holiday around here. Mild temperatures and plenty of opportunitites to go outside and take a few pictures. I've been cooking like mad but haven't documented much. Kevin's birthday is two days away so it's planning time for what to have that evening with cake and ice cream.Bob bought me a Canon zoom EF-S 55-250 mm lens for Christmas which brought me to tears. I've been taking

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-53824826884744269232008-11-29T10:01:00.013-05:002008-11-30T12:31:28.628-05:00

Here's Mr. Construction Worker and Laura waiting for our breakfast in New York City at the Essex World Cafe. Without any exterior fanfare it's the coolest cafe I've ever been to. It's located on a street that faces the huge hole that was the World Trade Center. Construction workers that are busy at work on the WTC site seem to frequent this place as, I'm sure, the many people who used to work at

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-36943759328301035992008-11-23T10:40:00.004-05:002009-01-30T08:53:13.905-05:00

I'm not really a full fledged home baker but I try to pretend with my bread machine that I've had for billions of years now. I love that machine. It even churns butter but I haven't used that feature in years too. Shame on me! Anyway, I tweaked a recipe for Garlic Parmesan Bread and turned the bread into knotted rolls, instead, through the dough cycle. No mystery and no great challenge there I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-63489366640511948482008-11-19T09:03:00.004-05:002008-11-19T10:04:37.586-05:00

When Bob and I were looking around the antique store in Flint Hill I spotted this and immediately fell in love with it. I wanted to call her The Spirit(s) Faery but she's actually, I think, The Beer Faery. The poster is a copy of a lithograph advertising beer for The Globe Beer Company in Baltimore Maryland. I Googled Globe Beer Company and found informative but somewhat sporadic information

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-91079337759273594022008-11-18T12:24:00.003-05:002008-11-18T12:41:43.971-05:00

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-33942643362292962512008-11-18T10:35:00.007-05:002008-11-18T12:41:24.370-05:00

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-82021887846332992052008-11-18T08:45:00.002-05:002008-11-18T10:31:24.633-05:00

Another oddity that warmed my heart. I love things slightly askew and Mr. Tree seemed like he was pointing the way towards "something". I love that he still had a previous bloom of leaves on the end of his one viable limb.I loved this gate. It had two gargoyle's on either side. Front Royal is truly beautiful.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-37453080474313031882008-11-18T08:00:00.014-05:002008-11-18T08:37:04.194-05:00

Kevin had Younglife this past Monday night so it was a "Score!" for an evening alone for an Anniversary dinner (our 18th). I had thought I would grill lobster tail but ended up substituting with grilled shelled shrimp that I had marinated in olive oil, Old bay, and Lemon Pepper for thirty minutes in the fridge. I was going to make homemade Bearnaise sauce from my antique store find cookbook, The

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-75757511954396600062008-11-17T08:00:00.006-05:002008-11-18T10:32:31.795-05:00

The rear view of Killahevlin Bed and BreakfastBob hit it out of the park, yet again, for a wonderful wedding anniversary. Eighteen happy years full of growth, excitement, and friendship. I'm lucky to have him. He made reservations at my most favorite place in the world, Killahevlin Bed and Breakfast. Owned and operated by Tom and Kathy it is located in beautiful Front Royal Virginia. Bob had

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-68773959500143740602008-11-16T10:32:00.012-05:002008-11-17T14:38:46.772-05:00

I can't take it anymore. I am officially finished with the meat from our party. I am sick. Do you hear me. Sick of ham. The beef wasn't so bad and actually we finished the last of it in a beef pie. I wish I knew how to make decent "gravy" out of stock. I mean, I really wish I knew how. Nothing ruins a pot pie worse than a yucky gravy for the top. And we slather our pie's in gravy. I usually

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-58277581376199112642008-11-15T10:53:00.011-05:002008-11-18T10:32:53.739-05:00

This was our breakfast last Saturday. Or, the beginning of our breakfast at Killahevlin in Front Royal Virginia. Tom, one half of the hosting team of Tom and Kathy, began our morning meal with vanilla custard filled tartlets, fresh berries, a melon ball sized scoop of homemade strawberry ice cream, and finished with a drizzle of strawberry sauce. Bob finished his meal with homemade whole wheat

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-47924514460639901972008-10-21T18:56:00.005-04:002008-11-17T12:24:51.558-05:00

My nose is so sore from blowing it that I've considered just letting it drip for a little while but that would be gross! I don't have much confidence in the Puffs tissues I bought either. I thought about twisting up some pieces of tissue and shoving them up each side of my nose but Kevin has a friend over and I don't want to look like I belong in the psych ward of the 12 monkeys. My nostrils

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-38124359217110891112008-10-20T22:24:00.006-04:002008-11-17T14:33:08.911-05:00

Since I had some free time this evening I was going through some old drafts of previous recipe experiments. I thought this sounded pretty good and decided to post it now. Bob and I had a trip to the Outer Banks this past July and we found this great martini bar that served a lemon and rosemary martini, amongst many other delicious ones. This is my version of that drink. Since I have an enormous

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-90793806009816953432008-10-20T18:24:00.008-04:002008-11-17T12:29:54.989-05:00

This morning it was 38 degrees. There was frost covering everything and I felt a sudden panic that my basil was in terrible terrible danger (which it was). I had picked the vegetables in the picture a few days before and thought it was best to document the last of the garden bounty since Mr. Frost had decided to visit and was apt to come back again soon. I feel little pangs of guilt that I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-30363115293822363752008-10-05T14:31:00.007-04:002008-11-17T12:30:52.108-05:00

I was going outside to light the grill and saw, what I thought was, a green leaf stuck to the side of the house. I almost flicked it until I noticed that it had white stripes, and eyeballs. Now we have the "usual" frogs around here and I have never seen anything like this unless I was watching The National Geographic Channel or Animal Planet. I'd like to pick it up but frankly it kinda creeps me

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-49355241984087433342008-10-03T07:22:00.009-04:002008-11-17T12:31:35.824-05:00

Desire: I wish I knew how to type so that my thoughts could keep up with my fingers.Goal: I'm going to find a program, or something, so I can learn.Ah. Now I feel better. I would like to be able to look at the screen as I'm typing. That would be great. I'm VERY anal retentive about certain things and miss-spelling is one of those things. I'll lose my train of thought if I see a miss-spelled word.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-55808646651229487972008-09-29T15:41:00.009-04:002008-11-17T12:34:02.128-05:00

It started this morning with Kevin. I toasted the apple bread I made yesterday for his morning breakfast. Out of the blue he wants a toasted ham and cheese on apple bread. Hummmm. Sounded pretty good to me. I've made apple and peanut butter sandwiches on waffles before. This could be good too.I used real butter on both sides of the bread, tavern ham, and chedder cheese. Kevin had two sandwiches

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-60138540285347426022008-09-28T16:17:00.006-04:002008-11-23T11:48:50.034-05:00

Man I love Sunday's! Just change out of your pajama's into your sweat's kinda day. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and applied deodorant. I consider myself clean. Since it was a day where I farted around in the kitchen I wanted to make something I never made before. I found Apple Chunk Bread, yet again, from the old bread machine recipe book from Sam's Club that's a hundred years old. I had

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-67671338647027917422008-09-28T07:44:00.015-04:002008-11-17T12:36:11.150-05:00

That's what my dad called black olives. I used to have an aversion to them, half based on my dad's distaste and half because I thought they looked gross. Later, as I matured (form your own opinions), I discovered that I liked black olives. Certain black olives like Kalamata and Nicoise. I'm not trying to sound like a smarmy foodie, I just know that I don't like the presliced, canned black olives

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-80294118519617316962008-09-24T16:16:00.016-04:002008-11-17T12:36:50.889-05:00

This recipe was found in a bread machine cookbook that I've had FOR YEARS. I bought it at Sam's Club, when I used to shop at Sam's Club. I don't shop there any more because I was tired of having a gallon jar of olives for the rest of my life. Plus, I spent waaaay too mucho peso for "lunch supplies". I'm getting off track here.Since my son Kevin wants to turn into He-Man (he's all of 15 and plays

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-40910745545516334112008-09-16T18:42:00.007-04:002009-01-30T08:54:10.214-05:00

I was trying to copy another recipe with eggplant and really liked how different mine turned out. My final product actually resembled eggplant chips and geeze I really liked them. I used small eggplants and a mandolin for slicing them super thin.Then I sprayed them with an olive oil spray and seasoned with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Into the oven they went at 375 degrees. The total time

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-10388010609803708762008-09-02T14:17:00.010-04:002008-11-17T12:27:22.293-05:00

It's only Tuesday but I'm a little thrown off. I almost forgot I was volunteering this morning. I'm sooo glad I remembered because I would have felt like an ass if I hadn't shown up. Labor Day weekend was very enjoyable especially since Bob was home. I made my s'mores recipe and it really wasn't that hard to do. There were a few "tweeks" since the original recipe for the graham cracker balls

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-46074524792579884662008-08-29T12:54:00.017-04:002008-11-17T12:28:29.228-05:00

Synonyms for originalSense 1: First (vs. last)Sense 2: Primary (vs. secondary)Sense 3: (vs. unoriginal) avant-garde, daring, freehand, freehanded, fresh, new, novel, germinal, originative, innovational, groundbreaking, newfangled, new, underivativeNot me unfortunately. I'm at it again. Not original and making something mine from someone's else's recipe. So to begin, I really enjoyed the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-71343771428664564322008-08-29T09:28:00.013-04:002008-11-17T12:38:13.831-05:00

We have a crab feast to go to this weekend. Sigh, I know, another one. Poor me. Once I get started eating crabs I don't stop until I'm bursting. Have to have, yet again, cider vinegar and Old bay for dipping. I just can't stand how I smell after I'm through though. Lasts for hours. I tried lemon but it really doesn't work. Anyway, I'm bringing something S'mores-y and wanted to do something

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-65828351815788066032008-08-28T13:37:00.011-04:002008-08-29T07:31:24.248-04:00

I saw this when trolling around on different food blogger websites. Actually I copied this version from http://iliketocook.blogspot.com/ "who found it over at Very Good Taste - the 100 things that Very Good Taste thinks everyone should eat at least once in their life. Here's what you do:"1). Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions2). Bold all the items you’ve eaten

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-88086013295908993912008-08-27T06:48:00.010-04:002008-11-17T12:40:10.754-05:00

I can NOT ever remember Recipezaar letting me down. It is, hands down, my favorite recipe site. I had a two pound bag of frozen shrimp and needed a solution for dinner. I found this and could literally taste the damn thing before I even cooked it just by reading the recipe! Oh, and my guys.....well, my guys LOVED it! Yay! I love it when I hit one out of the park (seriously I'm not really THAT

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-61914907178667527062008-08-26T10:36:00.009-04:002009-07-26T15:15:18.568-04:00

I haven't done much lately with technology. I didn't turn my computer on for nearly a week. Now that's something. For me. I was out of commission and nothing much was happening for me. Because I am tired of re-hashing my idiocy I will just say that Laura fall down and Laura go boom. Laura busted her ass and she wasn't pretty. Almost ruined the hubby's birthday for which I am embarrassed and mad

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-69870535179456067392008-08-15T23:40:00.005-04:002008-08-15T23:40:23.225-04:00

Wanted some good music for the summer evening

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-91631409803153589152008-08-12T14:39:00.009-04:002008-08-15T08:56:14.789-04:00

Can you believe I finally figured out this morning that if I get the damn tripod out of the closet I may be able to have the camera stand still better when I take a picture. What an ingenious idea! Classic case of procrastination.I LOVE this mini colander that my sister-in-law, Lisa, gave me. I had these peppers in the garden that were "not thriving", so to speak, and I thought "how CUTE!". My

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-21476172805736050572008-08-10T08:50:00.020-04:002008-11-17T12:54:13.116-05:00

I used to have a crush on Angelina Jolie (well I still do) but now I have a new one, Heidi Swanson. In fact, I want to be her. Before I sound slightly John Hinkley-ish, I think that I immediately related to her due to the volumes of cookbooks that I own. There's no way I could possibly cook out of all of them. Besides, some of them are in boxes in the attic and I don't like going up there (anyone

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-80236153275130478472008-08-09T21:06:00.012-04:002008-11-17T14:36:49.576-05:00

This was an adventure for me and I had a blast making these. I got this recipe from Recipezaar and had immediate successful results, well within a few hours anyway. Now that I'm on South Beach for a spell I'll just dream of eating these again in a little over a week. Something to look forward to for sure.The reader comments alluded to some difficulty with the final baking process but I used a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-89816166604025503782008-08-09T09:45:00.046-04:002008-11-17T14:38:04.781-05:00

So far this has been what's keeping me going this morning. I really didn't wake up well and it sorta pisses me off but, I made a deal with myself that I quit being angry. I forget sometimes but I keep trying. A lot. The neighbor dog (pick from one of the various selections) was barking before 6am this morning. And, as stated previously, I have been waging a war against high electric bill's and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-53063675130692418132008-08-08T10:55:00.009-04:002008-11-17T14:40:41.019-05:00

What a gorgeous day here on the Eastern Shore. I have considered it a success against Delmarva Power yet again by opening the house up and shutting off the window units. Yay! In a span of just three months the electric bill went up $100.00. I'd sure like to have that in my checkbook right now. Summer vacation and a sailboat sorta have dwindled the funds. I REALLY use coupons at the grocery store

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-32171885019517031402008-08-07T14:40:00.000-04:002008-08-07T18:01:11.351-04:00

I finally did it. After being home since July 26th from Kitty Hawk I have finally downloaded the vacation pictures. Thus, I could take a recent picture of the garden. I was a bad mommy and let the lettuce go to seed so I yanked all of it out this morning. Much more clean! The pole beans are doing better now that they are sprayed with Neem. The Mexican bean beetle (I'm pretty sure) had it's way

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3635118671079484141.post-31829179340512353222008-08-07T12:30:00.001-04:002008-08-07T18:44:17.264-04:00

My humble offering. This has been my project since early Spring and it has saved me from various situations such as: smoking, (over) drinking, (over) eating, flabbiness, and arguments. When Laura is frustrated about something you may find her here. Or the kitchen. Or having a glass of wine in the kitchen, or, in the garden. Many safe bets. I am in the process of patiently waiting to convert the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01199555573919137224noreply@blogger.com0