Thursday, December 31, 2009

Remembering 2009

This morning I woke up and turned on my computer and began sobbing, then crying. I did not understand why at first, then I realized a wonderful year is ending. I summed up my year in my Christmas letter that I am now sharing on my Blog. There was so much more than this letter to friends and family, but this sums it up pretty well. It was a year full of so many emotions but filled with so many blessings.

May 2010 bring much happiness and good health to you and your family.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

SALAMI ROLLS - AN OLD FAMILY RECIPE

Salami Rolls have been made for the Holidays by my family for many years. My husband made them for our family this year to share and enjoy.

1.75 lb Molinari Salami or your choice of a dry salami
8 oz block of softened Cream Cheese
4 Tbsp Mayonnaise
2 fresh sour dough baguettes

Take the outside peel off the salami and cut up to grind (see photo) by a hand grinder like ours or an electric grinder that is meant for grinding salami.

Put in a large bowl and by hand mix it with one softened block of Cream Cheese and 4 Tbsp of Mayonnaise. My husband made a happy face in it just for my photo.

Cut each baguette in 4 pieces and remove the bread (save the bread to use as you wish)

Stuff each section with the Salami mixture (you may end up with more rolls than Salami mixture).

Wrap each Salami Roll with foil, place them in Ziploc storage bags so that they can lay flat and refrigerate overnight to set. Slice to serve the next day. They will stay good in the refrigerator for about one week. Best if eaten within a day or two.

ENJOY!!







WHAT A NICE CHRISTMAS WE HAD - 12/25/09

OUR CHRISTMAS TREE

Oscar enjoyed his Christmas


Dan & Erik played Mario on Christmas Eve


Monday, December 21, 2009

My Motto

"Chocolate: Here today........gone today!"
I loved this from - www.justabeachkat.blogspot.com

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Turkey Soup With A Smokey Flavor - 11/30/2009

The best part of our Thanksgiving turkey is the turkey soup we made.

IN A LARGE POT:

One large yellow onion chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
Turkey carcus with the 2 thighs detached and all skin removed
10 cups water
Broth from the giblets that we boiled on Thanksgiving
(I put the giblets in a pot, cover with water, add a couple cloves of garlic, little salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning and bring to a boil and simmer for an hour and turn off) I remove and discard the giblets and strain the broth. I then use a bit of this to make the gravy. What is left (about 3-4 cups), is put in the refrigerator and used for my soup.
8oz chicken stock (used Trader Joes brand, you can use your favorite)
A few sprinkles of Poultry Seasoning

Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer, set timer for one hour and let simmer with lid slightly off, taking the thighs out when they are heated, about 10 minutes. While in this process if the carcus is falling apart, remove the bottom of it and submerge the rest in the pot (this was the part with the remainder of the breast)

One hour later remove the carcus and any bones floating in the soup.

ADD:
6 stalks of celery (including the leaves) cut in bite size pieces
2 dozen baby carrots cut in 3 pieces each

Bring to a boil, set timer for 30 minutes, and let simmer with lid slightly off. Check the carrots and celery to be at the tenderness that you like.

During this time I cut up (cubed) all of the turkey meat to be added at the end.

ADD:
1 1/2 cups of white rice

Bring to a boil and then to a simmer and cover and cook using the directions for your rice.

When the rice is done, stir the soup and add in the cut up turkey and stir again and let it sit with the lid off.

We had a small amount of left over Franco American Turkey Gravy in a jar, so we added this.

We chose not to eat the turkey soup until the next night, so we let it cool off and put it in a large covered bowl and into the refrigerator. It made a great meal with some French bread and is dinner again tonight. A nice warm meal for these cool Fall evenings.

ENJOY!!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Thanksgiving at the Solem's - 11/26/2009

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. As usual, I forgot to take photos. We were having such a fun and somewhat lazy day (stayed in PJ's most of it), that I remembered after taking a leg and wing off and munching on those with the help of our cat (Oscar) my husband (Dan) and our son (Erik). It had been so long since we BBQ'd a turkey that we decided to buy a Weber Charcoal BBQ. We stuffed and BBQ'd our 17 1/2 pound Norbest turkey. It was so good, and has made great leftovers. Tomorrow, the left overs will be soup. I guess a huge sign in my kitchen or at my computer will remind me to take photos of my soup. Now if I can remember to make a sign to remember to take photos.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

HAVING FUN WITH PHOTO BOOTH

I am constantly trying to learn more about Photo Booth and what I can create. Lots of fun.

Monday, November 2, 2009

HALLOWEEN 2009 - WELCOME TO OUR HOUSE

The Front of our House
My spider ring
Erik
Me enjoying Halloween

Erik as John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever


Dan, with our bat in the background

Saturday, October 31, 2009

IT IS HALLOWEEN

The kids started knocking on our door and ringing our doorbell around 7:30pm. It is fun seeing the costumes on the little kids all the way up to the big kids. All say trick or treat and thank you. Such nice kids. Parents wait on the sidewalk and wave as we glance at them after giving their children candy. Our neighbors across the street bring their young boy and girl each year and I take a picture of them each year. How they have grown. It is a wonderful holiday.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Sunday, October 11, 2009

OUR TRIP TO CLOVERDALE TO VISIT LONG TIME FRIENDS - 10/5/09


It had been way too long since I had seen Jack
I am so glad that we made this trip,
he looked great



Soon after we arrived, Jack had me come to the front of
his house to show me all of his trains and how some worked.
It was simply amazing and so beautiful to see.



So much love went into what he had done.



This was my favorite



So many trains in one room but done so nicely



So much love and work into every piece



Jack's love for trains has been a lifetime passion



This tree is what you see when you walk
into Jack's house. It has been up since his wife Jo
passed away several years ago. It is breathtaking.



We had a wonderful lunch



Judy and Elaine



Mom and Judy



Jack and Mom



Jack and Dan



Our group photo after lunch in Jack's backyard
Darlene, Dan, Janet, Jack, Mom, Judy and Elaine



David came with he and Janet's dog after lunch.
We got a little show.



Jack asked that I take a photo of this dog
I do not remember the story about it though.




It was fun looking at the photos we took while
we visited and old photos that I had on my computer,
even captured a photo of David in this photo



and Dan in this one



I could not resist taking photos of an old framed photo of Judy



and an old framed photo of Janet



So many beautiful things throughout the house
That Jack wanted me to take photos of



Jack asked that I turn on the lights
and take a photo of a beautiful Christmas
set up in one of the bedrooms



Special musical items



David (Janet's husband) did this sketch of Jack
I asked if it was ok to take a photo
and Jack said sure, looks just like Jack
David did an awesome job



The view from Judy and Dwight's home



We got to see Dwight and meet he and Judy's granddaughter



We followed Janet to the freeway and continued on our way home
What a great day with wonderful friends,
Memories I will cherish forever

Followers