Donna in Southern Maryland's comments (member since Nov 15, 2008)

Donna in Southern Maryland's comments from the Book Nook Cafe group.

Hello from Florida. I, too, am sad that we have lost some members. Some have gotten busy, and some have found desenting opinions hurtful. I let things go by and let things roll like water off a duck's back, and not everyone can do that.

I have said many times here that this group has become very important to me, and the support I have gotten particularly over the many bad times in the past 4 years have often times helped me survive the days. I am not 'out in the world' much anymore, and some weeks go by with me seeing no one but my DH.

I hope that those that drop by will take time to post and let us get to know them. I hope that those who may have drifted off and stop by to read will take a bold step and start to post again, even if hurt feelings or differing opinions have driven you away.

The Book Nook is not the same without those who have left, or what it could be with those who have been too shy to post yet.

I treasure my Book Nook Friends, and I wish you all the best of New Years! I'm sure I will need your help and support as we go about forming a new family unit when Charlie and his girlfriend move with us January.

Donna In South Florida for a few more days :o)

Hello from Jensen Beach Florida on the East Coast!

We left home Thursday evening, and stayed in a motel close to BWI since our flight was leaving at 7am. We would have had to wake up from home at 3am to get to Baltimre on time. We were able to park our car at the motel and take their shuttle, so that worked great. It was 22 degrees when we left, and they were predicting a heavy snow. Somehow I just didn't believe it was going to really be so much!

We arrived in Ft. Myers (West Coast) after making a connection in Orlando. We arrived, but MY suitcase didn't! No problem, they'll bring it to us, right? Well, after the reservations had been made, a wedding came up that my "Daughter-in-my Heart" Teresa and her fiance had to attend over here on the East Coast, so we drove over yesterday afternoon. The airline found my suitcase and flew it back to BWI so they could fly it into West Palm BEach, (closer to where we are) today. Problem was, BWI was closed today! So they added some allowance to the 50 dollars they allowed me last night for necessities, and we went and did a little shopping for me this afternoon while the kids were at the wedding. So fun to see all the people shopping in warm weather clothes, and listening to "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!"

We'll be leaving here tomorrow to drive down to Key West, so we're hopeful the suitcase will make it to me tomorrow in Ft. Lauderdale or be delivered to the Keys. I refuse to be upset, it's just a suitcase. But you can bet your bottom dollar that from now on I put some of my clothes in DH's suitcase and vise versa! :o)

Last evening, it was 77 degrees, and we had a wonderful dinner at a place on the water called "Conchy Joe's." Kind of a Tiki Bar place with great seafood. We sat on the open porch and listened to the live band and looked at all the decorations and Christmas lights. It was a lovely evening!

We checked with the "Pet Nanny" today, and the 2 doxies are settling in fine, except for the surprise of all the white stuff they woke up to this morning.

Tomorrow, off to "Margaritaville!"

Donna in South Florida

Denny's Country Fried Steak
"Golden Fried Chopped Beef Steaks smothered in rich Country Gravy"

four 5 ounce top round steaks
corn oil
Seasoned Salt
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine
2 cups buscuit mix
salt and pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/3 corn oil
Country Gravy (recipe to follow)

1. The night before, put the steaks in a single layer in a dish. Brush them on both sides with an even coating of corn oil. Dust them on both sides with a generous amount of seasoned salt. Drizzle each steak with the wine. Seal the dish in foil or plastic wrap and refigerate the steaks for about 24 hours prior ro preparing the final dish.

2. Remove the steaks from the fride and coat both sides well in the buscuit mix. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

4. Combine the butter with 1/3 cup oil in a large skillet and heat until melted.

5. Place the steaks in the skillet. Brown both sides of each steak until crispy.

6. Transfer the steaks to a baking dish and cover and seal with foil. Bake about 30 minutes, or until golden b rown on each side.

7. Serve with Country Gravy

Serves 4 - maybe be prepared with chicken cutlets instead of beef

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Denny's Country Gravy

1 med. clove garli, minced
1/4 cup bacon drippings
1 cup all purpose flour
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper

Brown the garlic in the bacon drippings in a large heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour until smooth. Cook over low heat a few minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cram and then the water, continue constant stirring. Simmer until the gravy thickens and is hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe is from the cookbook America's Most Wanted Recipes Delicious Recipes from Your Family's Favorite Restaurants . You'll either love it, or never touch it again! :o)

Well, Ladies. Sit down. Charlie is still coming home, but now he is coming with The Girlfriend!!

The way I understand it, when she told him she was leaving, after he talked to me, he told her that he was coming home, and that led to much discussion. The bottom line being that he told me that they love each other, want to be together, are working out their differences, etc. (There's obviously more I can't say here.)

So after several serious talks, we said OKEY DOKEY, and they are over the moon happy and making plans. Dad is still flying out to meet them part way so they can spend a few days with Sofia in Texas, then he will fly home while they drive the rest of the way.

I'm very happy, and comfortable with her coming. She understands that Mom and Dad are part of the package, and we're all looking forward to getting to know each other better and forming a new family unit. They will have a separate apartment in the basement, so that will make it a bt easier. I'm sure I'll have more to report as time goes by. Wish us luck!

Donna in SOuthern Maryland

I'd say it's a Cop Show, but 'grittier.' It's set in South LA, and it follows several cops. The main 2 are a young man just starting out who is from a rich Bevely Hills family. His training officer appears to be an old fashioned tough cop, but we find out in the first episode that he is gay, and not 'out' to his fellow cops. Then there is an AA lady detective, who lives with her mom and has a confusing love life......and there's more. We found it to be very interesting, and the language in not normally found on network tv. Serious stories, with a dash of humor and pathos.

Donna in Southern Maryland

After seeing it in parts and pieces about 17 times over the years, I finally watched "It's A Wonderful Life" last night from start to finish. What a great movie, and very topical with the state of the economy.

Donna in Southern Maryland

We were glad to hear this too, RN. It is a very good show, and I think a great fit for TNT. They are starting at the beginning with the first episode, so if you have not seen it before, you can start fresh.

Donna in Southern Maryland

Deb read: Firefly Lane

Deb, I read this earlier this year and really liked it. I also like Beverly Lewis and Jennifer Chiaverini's books, but haven't read these two yet, I don't think. How are you feeling and getting around these days?

Donna in Southern Maryland

I saw Kristin Chenowith on The View this morning plugging her new Lifetime Movie, something about Calendar Men? I love her, so I will definitely check this out!

Donna in Southern Maryland
and I will definitely look up Love Actually!

Gee, I don't believe I've ever seen Love Actually. Who's in it? What's it about?

Donna in Southern Maryland

I have the Sue Grafton book on the hold list at the Library. I believe I read somewhere that she WILL stop when she gets to "Z."

I'll have to check out that "Cleaving" book. The title sparked my interest.

Thanks for posting the list, Miss Alias!

Donna with stiff fingers this am

Thanks for all your kind words. Plans have changed just a little bit, but all for the better.

When Charlie went to talk to his boss at the restaurant, the guy begged him to work through the end of the year. After 2 and a half years, he is their lead server and trainer. Of course they just fired 3 people and need to train replacements.

We had a trip plannned to Florida over Christmas. and thought we were going to have to cancel that. So now Dad will fly out in January. I can wait. I'm patient, right?

Donna in Southern Maryland

Goodness, it's hard to believe, but tomorrow will be the first of December! Time to start our new thread for any one of a jillion topics that we stumble upon.

With the topic so frequently mentioned in the news, let's ask the question here, only a little differently. Instead of asking how much you intend to spend this year versus last year on presents, let's ask for your thoughts about how your Holiday plans will differ this year as opposed to years past.

What about now versus 20 or 30 years ago? I love to hear Holiday memories. I know some of us have lost parents and other loved ones. Any special memories of them you'd like to share?

Smiles and Blessings to you!
Donna in Southern Maryland

I heard him say that he had been there for over 2 and a half hours! Poor guy just didn't have the context to understand what it was. No one got it the first try. Must have been way harder than it looked. I was sorry they got elimanated too.

Donna in Southern Maryland

Who saw a Dog Named Christmas? I was able to watch the last half, and thought it was very sweet! Especially the part where the Sweet Little Dachshund named Ruthie had a STARRING and pivital role! <very big giggle>

Donna in Southern Maryland

My goodness, we have sure had fun with this topic of gravy, huh? :o) Something I guess we have all taken for granted....

When I used to watch my Mother and Daddy cook and make gravy, it was done the old fashioned way. For instance, when Mama was frying chicken or pork chops, when they were done cooking, she would drain MOST of the oil from the pan leaving the drippings in the bottom, then they would either sprinkle some flour in the pan, stir for awhile and then add water, broth or milk OR, mix flour and water together and add that to the pan drippings to cook the flour and bubble and come together. The color would mostly come from the color of the pan drippings.

The whole "roux" thing comes from ---I think--- Cajun/Louisianna cooking. If you've ever watched Paul Prudomme or Justin Wilson back when he was alive, they start many of their dishes with the 'roux.'

I got a cookbook from the Library the other day by the guy who does all the 'Secret Recipes.' I noticed in there the Recipe from Denny's, I believe, for Country Fried Steak and Cream Gravy. So just for Deb'rah, I will post that on the "Recipe" thread in the next couple of days. :o)

The bottom line, no matter how you make it, or how you brown it, it sure does taste good on Turkey, Stuffin' and Mashed Taters! :o)

Donna in Southern Maryland

Nancy/nanckopf wrote: "And I had it wrong...A Dog Names Christmas is on CBS tonight, not Hallmark!"

Nancy,

You get half credit! LOL It's a Hallmark Production, and it shows this time on CBS. I'm sure it will make it's way to the Hallmark channel! We've been talking about the Lifetime Movie Network on another thread. I like to watch the Hallmark Channel too, they have some wonderful movies, and even some Westerns!

Donna in Southern Maryland

Forgive me for starting a whole new thread for this, but those Book Nookers who have been with me for this journey over the last several years will inndulge me.


DH is flying out to AZ on Thursday of this week to help our son Charlie break up housekeeping and head EAST. That's right, CHARLIE IS MOVING HOME!!!!

He and his girlfriend had decided to move to Scottsdale for more job opportunities, and had been looking for jobs and places to live etc for about the past month or 6 weeks, but nothing seemed to be happening. Then, Friday night, about 2:30 in the morning, my cell woke me up. No good news is ever delivered at that hour. When I called him back, I said "What's the matter?" I could tell something was wrong by his voice, and he said, "Mom, I'm ready to come home." When I could get him calmed down enough to speak, he told me that the girlfriend -- who he had previously told us was THE ONE, had told him during A BREAK at work that in 2 days, she was moving to Phoenix with her old boyfriend! Poof! Out of the blue. At work, she told him this!

I won't bore you with all the gory details, but his Dad will fly out and help him, and then they will head East, but a little South via Texas, so that he and GrandDaddy can see our precious Sofia. DH has not seen her since they left here in March of '06, and Charlie not since her last July when we visited.

We are so proud of the fact that he's been drug free for almost 4 years now, and he tried so hard to make it work away from all of his family. But sometimes, you've just got to come back home and regenerate that strength. He'll get a job, and help Mom and Dad, which we sorely need. He wants to get back to the Fitness Industry, where he had been working successfully as an assistant manager at a Gold's Gym before life took a downward turn. I have no doubt that he will be successful at that again.

You know, I have learned that success is defined by different people in different ways. Those of you who have kids who went to college, got the good jobs, and a nice family with minimal bumps along the way are very lucky. But we are lucky too.

Our boy is drug free, and he's COMING HOME. My heart has had a hole in it for 3 and a half years. I thank you for all the support you have given me.

Donna in Southern Maryland
who has many reasons to be Thankful :o)

Deborah added MORE gravy discussion: Additionally, i only recall white(ish) gravy for fried chicken-like dishes--fried chicken & chicken fried steak. I thought it was a southern thing, to be honest with you. In my 20s & 30s i couldn't buy a chicken fried steak north of the Mason-Dixon line. Can you now, i wonder? Once i realized how fattening it was, i stopped looking. ;-)

Deborah, what you are talking about is Milk Gravy or Cream Gravy. It is made my adding === you guessed it === milk or cream to the roux instead of broth or water.

Donna in Southern Maryland
who thinks maybe I shouldn't mention that some EYEtalian families call plain Spaghetti Sauce "gravy." :o)

Deborah said: JoAnn mentioned coffee in gravy. I'm thinking that someone once told me that coffee is what makes Red Eye Gravy great. Oh, i just looked it up. Here's the scoop. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-eye_gra...

deborah, who's thinking Red Eye Gravy sounds as though it should have liquor in it...corn mash?

WOOO Doggies! Grits and Red Eye Gravy! Years ago, when we used to travel regularly to Northwest Florida to see family, and before Interstate 85, we would frequently spend the night in Phenix City, Alabama.... also known as 'Sin City,' but that's another story. Anyway, I remember the little Diner next to the motel had the BEST Grits and Red Eye Gravy!!!

Strangely, when you add just a little instant coffee to the gravy for color, you can't taste it!

Great idea about the Corn Mash, Deborah. We could get 'lickkerd up' at Breakfast!!! :o)

Donna in Southern Maryland