Saturday, November 8, 2008

Mainstreet


It's been around for a little while. We have a tattoo parlor. Check it out. I don't think I want to. (check it out up close and personal that is) But I thought you might get a kick out of seeing T A T T O O advertised on the side of a building in downtown kanooska.

Saturday. I've been putzing around the house. Got my kitchen stuffs taken care of as much as I care to. Dishes from last night done. It's still drizzling out this afternoon. At last I don't see snow on the ground. It did stick for a little while last night and this morning. I'm just not ready for that. I never did get the snowblower out of the shed, nor put away the mower. Right after I start a must do list, those two actions will certainly top it. I'm such a slacker.

Tomorrow I have tickets to see the Czech Republic Girls Choir at the PAC center, quickly followed by a baby shower. I can't say which I'm more looking forward to. Had it not been for those two events, I could've stayed home and watched Sunday afternoon football. (tone of voice and posture would be beneficial at this point if you don't know me) Life in the fast lane.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Harvest Season


Something else I was able to capture was cranberry harvest. This is a small operation in comparison to some in the area, but I was thrilled to actually have my camera long when I spied this huge ruby red roundup sitting atop the water.

Across the street was the original reason for my stopping. More beautiful fall foliage. It could only have been more perfect if the sun had been out that day.

There are a few more pictures to post from that photo excursion. I'll post a few at a time.

As for me, I have a full day ahead of me. Maggie and Vin are in for a grooming at the moment. Enjoying the he** out of it I imagine. (not) When they get back I'll get ready for lunch with the girls. Annie and Diane and I are meeting at the casino. Then back home to make a new recipe for Heidi's birthday dinner. A little something called pumpkin chocolate cheesecake pie. I found the recipe in Better Homes and Garden magazine.
Ingredients
1 recipe Deep Dish Pie Pastry, below
12 oz. cream cheese, softened (1-1/2 8-oz. pkgs.)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate or miniature chocolate pieces
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
Chopped chocolate (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare and roll out Deep Dish Pie Pastry. Transfer pastry to a 9-1/2- to 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim crust edge 1/2-inch beyond pie plate. Flute edge high. Line pastry with double thickness of foil. Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

2. In medium mixing bowl combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 egg; beat on low speed until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture in cooled pastry shell. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate.

3. In bowl combine pumpkin, brown sugar, and spice. Stir in 4 eggs. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Slowly pour pumpkin mixture on chocolate layer. To prevent overbrowning, cover pie edge with foil.

4. Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove foil. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hour. Top with chopped chocolate.

Deep Dish Pie Pastry:In medium bowl, stir together 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using pastry blender or two knives cut in 6 tablespoons shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of flour mixture; gently toss with fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all flour is moistened (5 to 6 tablespoons total). Form into ball. On lightly floured surface, flatten dough. Roll pastry from center to edge into 13-inch circle.

If it doesn't work, this gets erased. If it does . . . it gets saved forever. :)

Sunday, November 2, 2008

A Frightful Night


What am I talking about? Why, Halloween of course. This was the first Halloween I've been able to celebrate in over a decade and I wasn't going to miss it, sore foot or not. It's Annie's favorite holiday. She goes all out. Someone once told me that she thought she decorated "gawdy." I ask you. Can you decorate gawdy for Halloween? I think not. To me it's like Mardi Gras. The more the merrier. So I arrived around 3:30 and Heidi did my makeup and hair. What an expert she is. I was quite pleased. Oh don't be scared. What's that you say? Want your mummy? buah-ah-ah-ah-ah. Can't say as I blame you. But seriously, we had a great time pre trick-or-treat, as well as post. Big party afterwards with some good food and adult treats too. We made a fire in the firepit on the patio and ate outside. It was almost unseasonably nice for this time of year in the big WI. Below, a group of possibly familar faces surround the coffin just before little children come to get their little wits scared out of them. We try.