Sandy Deutscher Green's Blog, page 10
November 28, 2013
November 26, 2013
Twofer Tuesday – Quotes on Visiting
A lot of visiting will be going on this week. Here are some quotations to celebrate it:
“Literature is a beautiful way of keeping the imagination alive, of visiting worlds you would never have time to in your day-to-day life. It keeps you abreast of a wider spectrum of human activities.” - Abraham Verghese
and
“People are generally proud of their food. A willingness to eat and drink with people without fear and prejudice… they open up to you in ways that somebody visiting who is driven by a story may not get.” - Anthony Bourdain
Filed under: Holidays, Twofer Tuesdays Tagged: Abraham Verghese, Anthony Bourdain, food, literature, visiting quotes 
November 13, 2013
Roasted Beef Stew Crock Pot-Style
Roasted Beef Stew with Vegetables
I’m all for saving time and then cooking a dish for ten hours. I used a package of pre-cooked roast beef (like Hormel’s Italian roast beef), pan-roasted vegetables, and let the aroma fill the house!
ROASTED BEEF STEW CROCK POT-STYLE
Add 4 red and/or white new potatoes, sliced in chunks, 1 cup carrots, sliced in chunks, 2 cloves chopped garlic, and 1 medium onion, sliced in chunks, to a roasting pan. Sprinkle with Kosher salt, pepper, and olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning once.
In progress
Meanwhile, slice the beef from a 15-oz. container of pre-packaged roast beef and place in crock pot along with its gravy (skim fat) and 1 15-oz. can beef broth. Add 1 sliced celery stick and 2 large chopped baby bella mushrooms. Transfer the roasted vegetables to the crock pot and heat on low for six hours.
One hour before serving, add 1 cup sliced green beans and 1 cup sliced asparagus to the stew. Check the seasonings.
Enjoy!
Filed under: Cooking, Food Tagged: beef stew receipes, crock pot receipes, Hormel's Italian roast beef
November 12, 2013
Twofer Tuesday – Surround Yourself with Wall Quotes
Fractured limestone walls on Innishmore, Aran Islands
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” - Maya Angelou
and
“The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy.” - Jim Rohn
Filed under: Authors, Twofer Tuesdays Tagged: Jim Rohn, Maya Angelou, wall quotes, walls
November 6, 2013
Roasted Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
The first time I had Butternut Squash soup was in England’s Lake District. It was so delicious, I had to find a recipe to try at home. I usually cook the squash in the microwave and assemble the rest of the ingredients in a Dutch oven. Here’s a recipe I adapted from Family Circle magazine using roasted vegetables.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel, seed, and cut 1 butternut squash into 1-inch pieces and add to roasting pan with 1/2 lb. carrots, 1 onion cut into chunks, and 3 cloves garlic. Sprinkle and stir to coat with 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. ground pepper, and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Mix well and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once.
Puree vegetables in half batches in blender with a total of 4 cups chicken stock. Gently heat in Dutch oven along with 1 5-oz. can evaporated milk, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/4 cup brown sugar.
Serve with sourdough bread and enjoy!
Filed under: Cooking, Food, Recipes Tagged: Lake District, Roasted Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup, soup recipes, squash recipes
November 5, 2013
Twofer Tuesday – Timely Quotes
The recent time change inspired me to find these quotes:
“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” - Abraham Lincoln
and
“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” - Bil Keane
Filed under: Illustrators, Twofer Tuesdays Tagged: Abraham Lincoln, Bil Keane, clocks, time quotes
November 2, 2013
Brussels Sprouts Roasted in a Cast Iron Pan
I cleaned and seasoned (oil the pan and heat in a 350 degree oven for an hour) an heirloom cast iron frying pan and decided to use it for a side dish for baked pork chops with apples.
After roasting
Here’s the recipe I made. Hearty and delicious!
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, rinsed and trimmed
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place Brussels sprouts and garlic in pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes. Stir to coat again and cook 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cook another 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Filed under: Baking, Cooking, Food, Recipes Tagged: cast iron pan, garlic, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, vegetable recipe
November 1, 2013
October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween Pumpkin Muffins
Made from a mix from Williams-Sonoma!
Filed under: Baking, Food, Holidays Tagged: Halloween, Pumpkin muffins, Williams Sonoma
October 30, 2013
Too Much is Never Enough – An Interview with TMI Author Heather Davis
Heather Davis
Heather Davis is a momma, a writer, a blogger and a fairly funny lady—just ask her! She and her husband have two daughters and live in Oklahoma. She blogs at www.minivan-momma.com.
1. Do you have a favorite place to write?
As simple as it sounds, I love to write on my blue couch in the living room. I have my MacBook in my lap and I’m either sitting criss-cross-applesauce or slunched (that’s a word, right?) way down in the corner with my legs crossed in front of me.
2. What do you love most about writing?
I’m a blogger at heart and I love sharing my life with others. There was a time when I felt very isolated in my life’s journey and I hope that my stories help others feel better about their life’s journey.
3. What is the hardest and easiest part of the writing process for you?
Hardest part is certainly the time! I’ll get a great idea in the middle of the day when I’m not able to put it on paper, so I do most of my writing after my girls have gone to bed. The easiest part is the ideas and the actual words. Once I find the time, it typically just flows.
4. What five words best sum up your personality?
I’m glad you asked me this and not my daughters! Five words: 1. Determined, 2. Creative, 3. Humorous, 4. Positive, 5. Connected
5. Other than writing, what else do you love to do?
I love watching my girls play sports. One is a softballer and the other is a golfer. I love spending time with my hubby—sounds cliché, but he’s really my best friend. I love to read; I’ve got five books on my nightstand now waiting for me to crack them open. And I’ve recently become addicted to loom-knitting as evidenced by the dozen or so hats hanging around our house.
6. Describe your perfect day.
I would love to sleep until my body woke up. The rest of the day would be perfect after that.
7. Do you have a writing schedule?
I meet with my critique group weekly, so I for sure write the day before. Ha! I have a quasi-schedule to keep my blogging obligations straight, but other than that, I’m a fairly organic writer.
8. What are your past, current, and/or next projects?
In the past year, I’ve written an ebook, TMI Mom Bites The Big Apple, about my trip to NYC for 24 hours as a guest on the Dr. Oz show. 
In April, my book TMI Mom: Oversharing My Life was released by Buzz Books.
My next book, Getting Lucky, a collection of humorous essays about keeping the romance alive after you have kids, will be released on Black Friday (YAY!) Next Spring, I’ll have a humorous travel book published, Crazy On Board. It’s a wild ride!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Heather!
Find more information on Heather here:
Twitter: @MinivanMomma2
Pinterest: Minivan_Momma
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TMIMom http://www.facebook.com/IAmMinivanMomma http://www.Facebook.com/MinivanMomma2
Blog: http://www.minivan-momma.com
Website: http://www.heather-davis.com
Filed under: Authors, Books, Writing Tagged: Buzz Books, Crazy On Board, Getting Lucky, Heather Davis, TMI Mom Bites The Big Apple, TMI Mom: Oversharing My Life
