Twitter Food Challenge #2- Halloween/Fall Food

1st Stop, Clarke Farm

Potatoes for roasting. Squash and Zucchini for another day!

Fresh Virginia Apples!

2nd and final stop, Full Quiver Farm. We picked up our organic pork and eggs here

Free range egg laying hens

My new friend, Snickers. I love this Goat!

Sweet potatoes, carrots, white & red potatoes with olive oil and herbs ready for oven roasting

Roasted root veggies, pork chops, gravy and stuffed acorn squash

Iowa Wine from customer. Very Good!

Festive Centerpiece

Sausage, apple, wild rice stuffed in acorn squash. Sausage from Full Quiver Farm

Remember when and just go?!?

Another post from my old Yahoo blog. Timing was appropriate again. Many more thoughts floating in my head. I'll write about these thoughts as soon as I collect them. I'm making new memories with long ago and new friends this weekend while participating in Twitter Food Challenge #2- Halloween/Fall Food edition! What will your choice be?

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Entry for June 13, 2006


What prompts one to reminisce? Could it be a particular song, or a certain smell that triggers a fond memory? An old T-shirt? Is it when you find out that a friend has three months to live or you get the prognoses yourself? Is it a good thing or a waste of time? Can we use it to determine our outcome in life?
We could dwell on past and let our current lives slip away in a sense of loss & longing. We could use them to try and recreate, often ending in more disappointment. Maybe we should pick apart those events and find what truly left the impact.
Most of us wouldn't change our current lives, but if you could throw in dashes of the "good old days" we would. Okay,we still have to be adults and can't be as carefree as in our youth. However, we can learn to worry less.We can still dream big. We can giggle and play pranks on friends. We can turn up the car stereo and sing out loud. We can make new friends and memories. Find past ones and make more memories. Better yet, introduce your new friends to your old friends.
Whatever it is that we are holding on to, it's for a reason. Life is made up of moments. We all want a great life. Question is do you want it to constantly be remember when, what if, or let's do it!

real friends kick butt!

I have a feeling this is going to be a confessional. I have had all these thoughts running through my head since about 9pm. Some were conscious. Some were played out in last night’s dream so vividly that when I woke this morning I was almost disappointed. I say almost, because I’m certain the next scene would have held me accountable. Not sure how comfortable that would have played out. So here I am.
Yesterday I woke up (way too early!) with a huge chip on my shoulder. It was early as I took my parents to the airport so they could go to Colorado. I wanted to be the one traveling on a mini escape. The day prior was my birthday. I was already not feeling the getting older part since so much on my “life to do list” is unchecked. Next, add my own pity party (more like a one woman rave) because I felt I was forgotten on my birthday. Yep, the same one I didn’t want to celebrate.That can lead to a big ol’ boulder on my shoulder. Okay, so you get the start of my mind set. Fast forward several hours…a tweet came through from a friend whom I admire. I (and my boulder) took it personally. Tweeted back a sarcastic comment and that’s when my conscience kicked in about an hour later.
I’ve always thought a lot of this long ago friend. Even the times that our immature antics would make it appear we could be mortal enemies. He was always a true winner personified in my head. Why? Because I never saw him ever really give up. He was quick witted. Yes, sometimes at my expense. See the above mortal enemies comment. Persistence and cool could very much be used to describe him. On my brief 1995 move back “home” my best friend and I visited with him on a porch. I was mentally smiling and in awe. I couldn’t display it then because I had to keep up appearances and the timing wasn’t appropriate. Truly, I couldn’t face a quick witted quip just in case. I even wrote to my mom about it and said how I should have spoken up. Fifteen years later we’ve been able to get back in touch and it was me who threw the sarcastic dagger? Silly little girl, go back to 6th grade!
With my words and attitude haunting me, I dug down deep. Briefly! Exhausted and not willing to face what I was excavating I went to bed. While dreaming, in a tone and smirk I very much recognized, long ago friend was there to set me straight via my subconscious. Okay, I got it! While the tweet/posts may not have been aimed at me personally I took it that way for very simple reasons. I think long ago friend and I have always “clicked and clashed” personality wise. In a good way you know? Like thunder and lightening, oil and vinegar, David Addison and Maddie Hayes. We knew how to push buttons to make people think, to push them out of the comfort zone. I knew better than to throw my pity party and I assumed he was purposely pushing my buttons. Wishful thinking maybe, but either way it worked.
Parties are fun. The clean up afterward can be a drag. Especially a drag if it’s not a celebration party. Now I have some clean up to do. Long ago friend, I’m sorry if I seemed bitter yesterday. I’m sorry that I was a little jealous that you are climbing closer to your dreams. I truly think it’s exciting and well deserved! True friends encourage as well as hold each other accountable in all aspects of their lives. Whether yours was intentionally personal or not…thanks! This proves you are on the right path. I’m sorry I regressed (is that a real word?) this weekend, but am looking forward to next weekend for sure!

Tradition, Tradition...Birthday Bellies

I am long overdue with a post I know. I owe a special lunch box edition to a long ago friend. However, I'm going to write about Birthday Bellies. Sounds weird huh? I'll explain.
Growing up it was a tradition in our house to pick our birthday dinner and cake. It was funny because each of us usually rotated several meals. I usually did pork chops or a curried chicken rice ring if at home. If we went out I went the exotic route. My seventeenth birthday I had a dinner party with new friends from my 3rd, yes 3rd high school. Indian was my choice when I turned 18. I think I see a trend with the curry! Anyway, the point is we got whatever we wanted. Most years it was my mom fixing one of my favorite meals and cake request. Cakes would usually be some form of carrot cake or a Jello poke cake. Even as an adult my parents have carried out this tradition when able. When I started doing the same for my patriots, it was my youngest who put the the spin to it. Something about our stomachs being happy from our favorite birthday treats lead to his proclamation of birthday bellies. This year he chose authentic dim sum. I am so proud of him, my little adventurer! Although, I couldn't bring myself(or anyone else)to try the duck tongue. Where is this going you ask? I'm going to share my absolute number one favorite main course. I do a variation of it through out the year. The exact recipe is normally saved for a special occasion. I cheated and made this a few weeks ago ahead of my actual birthday. Well, I didn't follow the recipe precisely to stay safe. No bad birthday Karma here. Besides, I don't have those anymore, only anniversaries of my 29th birthday. The recipe is written verbatim from my mom's recipe card. So, yes this is special! I hope you enjoy! Italics signals my modifications


Orange Pork Chops
6 Pork chops 1" thick trimmed
2TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp curry (I use a little more)
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 tsp coarsely chopped orange peel
1 TBSP seasoned salt (I now use A. Vogel Herbamare)
3/4 tsp paprika
2 TBSP shortening
6 whole cloves (I often leave out due to patriots' request, but miss them)
6 thin orange slices

Combine flour, seasoned salt, curry, paprika,& pepper. Reserve 1 TBSP of mixture. Roll chops in remaining spice mixture. In large skillet over high heat, brown chops in shortening. Reduce heat, add orange juice, cloves and peel. Cover, simmer until tender, turning chops occasionally. During last 15 minutes add orange slices. Remove chops and orange slices to warm platter. Skim off excess fat. Strain remaining liquids;discard cloves and peels. Return 1 cup liquid to skillet -add water or chicken broth to make 1 cup if needed. I use OJ or broth. Combine reserved flour & 2 TBSP cold water ( I use chicken broth). Pour slowly into liquid, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Spoon over chops.
Start this recipe about 1 hour 15 minutes before serving time.
I like this with a plain rice or mashed potatoes, and of course we have apple sauce!